Aston Villa U18 4-1 Fulham U18

Fulham Under-18s suffered a 4-1 defeat against Aston Villa at Bodymoor Heath.

First-half goals from TJ Carroll, Jack McGrath and Alfie Lynskey gave us a mountain to climb in the second period. It became an even steeper ascent for Ali Melloul’s side when Markie Meade grabbed a fourth, although Tom Wingate did grab a late consolation.

A Brodie Dair snapshot tested Owen Asemota within the first 30 seconds, but it was Villa who took an early lead as Carroll headed home from the second phase of a set-piece.

Our Young Whites momentarily halted a period of Villa dominance after 20 minutes, causing the hosts problems with our high press, with Asemota forced to beat away Wingate’s rasping strike from a tight angle.

Villa’s second goal came against the run of play, but it was a simply sublime free-kick from McGrath, with his set-piece boasting power and dip as it flew beyond Dino Kaiser.

The hosts, who qualified for the FA Youth Cup Final earlier this week, were demonstrating why they could be on the cusp of a double this season. Lynskey rolled the ball into the corner from the edge of the box to extend Jimmy Shan’s side’s lead.

It could have been an even wider margin at the interval, but Kaiser got fingertips to a Leon Routh piledriver, before Quinn Schutter blocked a Max Jenner shot.

The lead was extended once again just short of the hour mark as Meade timed his run to perfection and finished calmly past Kaiser.

As we searched for a response, a Wingate cross bounced off the knee of Bradley Slade and into the arms of Asemota.

Wingate grabbed a consolation goal in the final minute of normal time – and he couldn’t have missed from just a couple of yards out, meeting Macaulay Zepa’s peach of a cross.

Our U18s are next in action at home to Chelsea on Tuesday 15^th April, 5pm kick-off at Motspur Park.