U18s Report & Highlights: Spirited Palace edged out at Villa

The first half was a thrilling, end-to-end affair, with Villa enjoying the better of the opening 25 minutes before Palace turned the tide.

Jamar Lee and Ajean-Ray Greaves both went close as the Young Eagles took control, but Josh Blake struck on the stroke of half-time to give Villa the lead.

Villa maintained their relentless approach after the break, but Palace fought on and created golden chances late on. Jayden McDonald thought he had rescued a point, only for his cushioned close-range volley to be ruled out for offside as the Young Eagles were denied a deserved leveller.

Summary:

• Mulvenna and Moses return to boost the Young Eagles, while Campbell earns his first U18s call-up.
• 5: Blake drifts inside and strikes straight down Benetton’s throat.
• 9: Greaves causes Villa problems on the counter-attack.
• 11: Villa’s goal is ruled out after a foul on Shittu.
• 20: Meade blasts his effort high over the bar.
• 23: Moses cuts inside and sees his whipped strike graze the far post.
• 25: Palace nearly go behind at one end, and in front at the other…
• 30: Greaves’ set-piece flashes across the face of goal, but without a touch.
• 33: Lee's strike from range drifts wide of the post.
• 35: Greaves stings the palms of the diving ‘keeper.
• 40: Blake’s first-time half-volley sails over the bar.
• 43: Moses tees up Lee a few yards out from goal, but he curls over the bar.
• Three minutes are added on…
• 45 (+1) – Goal: Blake opens the scoring against the run of play.
• HT: Aston Villa U18s 1-0 Palace U18s
• 48: Our appeals for a handball are waved away.
• 54: Greaves’ low drive is saved by the legs of the ‘keeper.
• 65: Campbell is on for his Palace U18s debut.
• 70: Greaves’ set piece ensues pinball and nobody can turn home.
• 72: Martin curls just wide of the near post.
• 79: McDonald forces a brilliant fingertip save from the ‘keeper.
• 87: McDonald’s leveller is ruled out for offside.
• Six minutes is added on…
• FT: Aston Villa U18s 1-0 Palace U18s

After consecutive defeats to Southampton and Nottingham Forest in the league and cup respectively, Palace were eager to kick off the Bank Holiday weekend in style and return to winning ways.

The Young Eagles were boosted by the return of first-year scholar Alfie Mulvenna, who joined from FC Larne over the summer, and forward Kayden Moses.

Mulvenna replaced U16 Nat Kalembo in the back three, while Moses came in for Seb Bonsu-Amako. Under-16 Nasir Campbell was also named in an U18s matchday squad for the first time.

Villa enjoyed the majority of the possession in the early stages, with Blake drifting inside and forcing Lucca Benetton into a routine save inside five minutes.

The hosts continued to probe the Palace defence, but the Young Eagles posed a threat on the break through the pace of Moses and, in particular, AGreaves.

The pendulum soon swung, with Palace enjoying a spell of pressure before Villa responded with a barrage of set pieces that saw Markie Meade and Blake both have efforts blocked.

A few minutes later, Villa thought they had broken the deadlock, but their effort was ruled out after Remi Shittu was bundled over in the build-up.

On the 20-minute mark, the Young Lions wrestled back control, but Javier Alonso’s side were impressing with their defensive discipline, frustrating the hosts and refusing to give them a clear route to goal.

A lapse in concentration almost proved costly, however, as Meade picked up possession to the right of the area before blasting high over the bar.

Suddenly, the game burst into life. Palace nearly took the lead in spectacular fashion when Moses used his strength to hold off his marker, cut inside and whip an effort narrowly wide of the far post.

Then, midway through the half, Palace nearly found themselves behind at one end and ahead at the other.

Meade had the ball in the back of the net for Villa, but was flagged offside. Moments later, Donte Martin’s strike took a huge deflection, clipped the bar and bounced down onto the goalline – somehow, it stayed out!

Entering the final third, Greaves’ right-channel set piece flashed across the face of goal without a touch from any of the white shirts waiting in the penalty area.

The Young Eagles were growing in confidence, with some beautiful passages of play on display. Lee curled a speculative effort wide before Greaves stung the palms of the diving Villa 'keeper.

With ten minutes until the break, Palace were now carving through Villa with increasing regularity.

As first halves go, this had been thoroughly entertaining – end-to-end action, chances at both ends and two sides intent on taking the game to each other.

On the stroke of half-time, there were golden opportunities at both ends. Oscar Johnson – who had been on the bench for the U21s’ victory here last night – arrowed a flat cross across the face of goal before Blake’s first-time effort flew narrowly the wrong side of the bar for Villa.

Then came a huge chance for Palace. Lee slipped Moses through, and the forward showed tremendous composure to sit the 'keeper down before teeing up Lee, who had the whole goal to aim at but curled his effort over the bar.

Three minutes of added time were indicated and, unfortunately, Villa made Palace pay for their missed opportunities. Johnson was threaded through and pulled the ball back for Blake, who swept home the finish.

It was a harsh blow given the chances Palace had created, with their finishing ultimately leaving a lot to be desired, and the Young Eagles went into the break a goal behind.

The fast tempo and high intensity of the contest continued after the restart, with Lee swinging a deep cross towards the back post before Mulvenna’s appeals for a penalty were waved away.

A few minutes later, Raihaan Anderson bundled the ball through to Martin, who found Greaves to the right of the area. The forward drove a low effort towards the near post, but the Villa 'keeper stood firm and saved with his legs.

On the hour mark, it had been an even start to the second half, with both sides continuing to play at a frantic pace.

Villa then made a triple change in an attempt to extend their advantage, including Daniel Adediran, who scored a remarkable five-minute hat-trick in the Young Lions’ U18 Premier League Cup draw with Leeds United.

At the midpoint of the half, the hosts’ pressure had not relented, with Alonso’s side forced to withstand wave after wave of Villa attacks. Two U16s, Dominic Wright and Nasir Campbell, were introduced, with the latter making his competitive U18s debut.

Palace had weathered the Villa storm by the 70-minute mark, and Greaves continued to provide a threat from dead-ball situations. His latest free-kick caused more problems in the area as pinball ensued, but Moses was unable to get the decisive touch to turn it home.

The Young Eagles continued to search for a route back into the contest, with Martin drifting in from the left before curling narrowly wide of the near post as he attempted to catch the 'keeper off guard.

With the game entering its final third, Alonso turned to Arthur O’Keefe, who replaced Lee as the England U16 international returned to domestic action.

As the contest began to lose some of its earlier intensity, forward Jayden McDonald was introduced to provide fresh impetus and almost made an instant impact, forcing a fingertip save from the ‘keeper with a low effort across goal.

In the dying embers, the Young Eagles pushed hard for what would have been a deserved leveller.

O’Keefe brilliantly deceived the Villa defence with an incisive pass to split the lines, allowing Martin to lift the ball over the onrushing 'keeper before McDonald cushioned home expertly on the volley.

Unfortunately, the linesman’s flag was raised for offside, denying Palace their equaliser.

Despite their best efforts, the leveller remained elusive during six minutes of added time and Alonso’s side fell to a narrow defeat.

The Young Eagles will look to end their losing run when they welcome Tottenham Hotspur next Saturday (5th September) in the Premier League South, with the game available to watch LIVE on Palace TV+!

Palace XI: Benetton (GK); Monk, Mulvenna (Campbell, 63), Shittu; Lamidi (Wright, 63), Lee (O’Keefe, 72), Fasida, Greaves; Anderson (McDonald, 81), Martin, Moses (Bonsu-Amako, 81).

Subs not used: Speroni.

Aston Villa XI: Houton (GK), Iyeli, Pinell, Mudame, Melhuish, Moss, Johnson (Hammond, 53), Lloyd, Meade (Adediran, 61), Bindley © (Orebowale, 61), Blake (Smithen, 61).

Subs not used: Garthwaite, Mitchell, Kellyman.