Dominant Under-18s performance goes unrewarded against Villa

Our Under-18s were left frustrated in front of goal as Aston Villa escaped with the points at Hotspur Way on Saturday afternoon.

Lining up without a number of regular campaigners due to the international fixtures taking place this week, our young side gave a good account of themselves and created several chances but ultimately succumbed to a 2-0 defeat, Todd Alcock netting a 90th-minute goal on the counter-attack to finally stamp out our spirited efforts to mount a comeback after Dewain Sewell’s first-half strike had given the visitors a slender lead.

Kadan Young put an early chance wide for Villa after a mistake at the back, but it was Sam Amo-Ameyaw – one of a handful of Under-16s players involved for us – who was proving to be a thorn in the visitors’ side during the first period, carving out a number of opportunities coming in from the right flank, including two separate attempts that forced good saves from Villa goalkeeper Sam Lewis in the first 20 minutes. There was also a chance for Jaden Williams on the quarter-of-an-hour mark but the striker, wearing the captain’s armband after his five-goal haul against Birmingham City last weekend, teased his volley wide after Alfie Dorrington had headed Billy Heaps’ free-kick back across goal into the danger zone.

In amongst all that, Chisom Afoka dragged a good opportunity beyond the far post for the visitors before Sewell fired them ahead with nine minutes to go until the break, collecting a loose ball at the edge of the box and deceiving our defenders and goalkeeper by steering his effort inside the near post.

Williams shot straight at keeper Lewis while Max McKnight sent an effort just over after more clever movement by Amo-Ameyaw on the right side in the lead-up to half-time, with McKnight and then George Abbott subsequently going close after the restart as we continued on the front foot. To their credit, Villa were organised in defence, with Lewis in top form whenever we managed to produce an effort on goal. His opposite number Aaron Maguire saved brilliantly with his foot to prevent Young from adding a second for Villa against the run of play but we were left wondering how we hadn’t scored at the mid-way point of the second half as a corner was flicked on and Lewis produced a double save from the impressive Archie Chaplin and Williams, before Riley Owen’s attempt on the follow-up was cleared off the line.

We hammered on the door as the clock ticked down, Under-16s player Damola Ajayi going close after coming on for his debut at this level and McKnight’s effort landing on the roof of the net before a pair of crosses from the latter both found Tyrese Hall at the far post, the substitute denied by Lewis the first time around before taking his second shot early and scooping it over the bar while completely unmarked in what turned out to be our best chance to equalise. Williams then chipped the ball over the Villa defence for Abbott, but his effort on the stretch was kept out by Lewis before Villa killed the game on the break in the last minute of normal time, Alcock going through to slot past Maguire one-on-one.

‘A really frustrating result but an outstanding performance’

Under-18s Coach Stuart Lewis was pleased with the way we controlled large parts of the game, but was left to rue the final outcome: “It’s a mixture of emotions really – it was a really frustrating result but an outstanding performance, without having the scoreline to reflect that,” he said.

“Even in the first half at 0-0, there were numerous opportunities that we had where that final little bit of quality or composure was lacking and that was probably the case in the second half as well, when our play to get into those areas was outstanding but unfortunately we didn’t have enough quality in those final moments and we paid the price late on, conceding on the counter-attack. We needed that one goal to settle everyone down and I think we’d have gone on to get two or three. There’s lots to work on, especially in the final third, but we’re disappointed not to get the three points that the performance deserved.”