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Fulham were denied a place in the Semi-Final of the FA Youth Cup with the lottery of a penalty shoot-out denying Gary Brazil’s brave side.
It was a nervy start to the game for the young Whites, with visiting Villa enjoying the early possession and play, with goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli doing well to beat the lively Ryan Simmonds to the ball.
The Midlands club came to Craven Cottage with an impressive reputation in youth football and had reached this stage of the competition having overcome Rochdale, West Bromwich Albion and Millwall in relatively comfortable fashion.
Fulham had also turned heads on route, seeing off Stockport County, Bolton Wanderers and Ipswich Town, with manager Gary Brazil praising his team’s character and desire.
And those attributes were evident as Fulham pushed forward, with Keanu Marsh-Brown seeing the best of the early chances. Having picked the ball up from deep, the England youth international played a clever one-two with Richard Peniket on the edge of the box before forcing a fine diving save from Calum Barratt.
Cheick Toure went close with a towering header, while at the other end Bettinelli took a grateful catch from Kofi Poyser’s effort at the back post.
Having soaked up the pressure and with the shackles off, Harris tried his luck cutting in from the left, but his curled strike deflected wide for a corner, while Barratt raced off his line to deny Marcello Trotta. It had been an entertaining half hour.
Aston Villa continued to move the ball around with confidence, but with Reece Jones and captain Alex Smith breaking up play and steering Fulham forward, the hosts’ threat was certainly growing.
And that positivity was rewarded six minutes before half-time, with the impressive Trotta escaping the attentions of Derrick Williams and Ellis Deeney and driving home a composed angled finish. A Marsh-Brown free-kick from the left almost brought about a second moments later.
Villa may have seen more of the ball, but Fulham went in at the break in front. And few could argue.
Five minutes into the second-half, Bettinelli was called into action holding on to Richard Blythe’s stooping header, before reacting quickly to thwart Poyser.
However, the Fulham number one was beaten moments later with Simmonds’ endeavour down the left forging a chance for Poyser, who took his opportunity with a confident first time finish.
A game of cat and mouse ensued, with both teams prompting passes forward and doing just enough to keep the other at bay in the final third.
A clever turn from Trotta did fashion a chance on 70 minutes however, with the Italian U19 international drawing another smart save from the hands of Barratt.
With the game opening up, Marsh-Brown had to be alert to rob Roberts of the ball when the Villa left-winger was well placed, while at the other end Daniel Devine denied Peniket with a clever intervention.
With 15 minutes left Kerim Frei did well to bring the ball down on the edge of the Villa box and the Turkish youth international did even better to fire at the visiting goal.
Trotta went even closer moments later, but his strike from the right arrowed narrowly wide.
With extra time looming Trotta freed Frei with a clever drag of the heel, but in similar fashion his strike also flashed wide of the Villa goal.
Fulham certainly looked the most likely to add a second in the final 10 minutes, with Paudie Quinn trying his luck from distance.
However, Villa hit back with another wave of possession and Fulham had Pierre to thank for blocking Arsenio Halfhuid’s close range effort with the goal in sight. But that was the last of the chances with extra time bringing 90 minutes to an end.
Fulham started extra time brightly with Marsh-Brown teasing in a cross from the right and Smith showing his ambition from 25-yards.
Villa had a decent chance when Halfhuid turned Toure on the edge of box, with the Dutch striker forcing a super save from Bettinelli.
Quinn had the best chance of the first period of extra time, but the Ireland youth international just couldn’t get enough on Marsh-Brown’s excellent far post corner.
Halfhuid and Poyser both tested Bettinelli in the second period, while a brilliant last ditch slide from Williams denied Trotta a certain chance on goal following Frei’s intelligent threaded pass.
However, the talented Trotta was given another bite shortly after, and needing little invitation blasted the ball off the underside of the Villa bar and into the back of the net with 113 minutes showing on the clock.
But Villa responded with an injury time leveller against the run of play, with Devine bundling in with almost the last kick of the match.
With a penalty shoot-out needed to separate the two teams it was Villa who held their nerve with visiting goalkeeper Barratt the hero.
Aston Villa now face Newcastle United at St James’ Park in the Semi-Final.
FULHAM: Bettinelli; Marquez-Sanchez (Frei 63), Pierre, Touré, Kamau; Marsh-Brown, Jones (Quinn 80), Smith (Pritchard 99), Harris; Trotta, Peniket. (Subs not used): Fry, Maloney.
ASTON VILLA: Barrett; Grocott, Deeney, Williams, Blythe (Nelson-Addy 80); Devine, Lampkin, Carruthers, Roberts (Halfhuid 75); Poyser, Simmonds. (Subs not used): Johnstone, Berry, Taylor.