Substitute Taylor–Jay Hart smashed inn a stoppage-time equaliser to deny Fulham all three points after the Whites had made light of Jay Williams’ early dismissal to lead through Kristian Šekularac. Hayden Mullins’ had to console themselves with a share of the spoils at Bodymoor Heath after their disciplined defence was breached in the second minute of added time in heart-breaking fashion.
The Londoners were up against in as soon as Williams, operating at centre half, panicked after being robbed of possession by Rico Richards and pulled back the striker as he burst through on goal. The Welsh youth international was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity and the hosts quickly assumed control of the contest. Fulham were able to restrict Villa for long-range shots for a while, with Alfie McNally easily fielding a speculative shot from skipper Tommi O’Reilly, who had made his first-team debut in the Conference League last night.
The visitors remained a threat on the break and would have hit the front in stunning fashion were it not for the remarkable reflexes of Sam Proctor, who got his fingertips to a Šekularac strike to turn it onto the crossbar. The Swiss international popped up again to finish over a flowing counter-attack two minutes before the interval, when he latched onto an intelligent ball from Luke Harris. Proctor had absolutely no chance this time – wrongfooted by a deflection.
Villa restarted strongly but McNally was equal to another O’Reilly effort before the Fulham goalkeeper made a brilliant reaction save to repel a rising drive from Hart, who had replaced the ineffectual Kyrie Pierre with twenty minutes to play. Fulham then fashioned a chance to kill the game off with some superb approach play but captain Ollie O’Neill rattled the post before Palmer palmed away Imani Lanquedoc’s finish from the rebound.
Šekularac then skied away from inside the penalty and Fulham’s failure to convert their chances came back to bite them in added time. McNally, who already saved superbly from Todd Alcock’s, was eventually beaten by Hart’s close-range finish from O’Reilly’s cross as the home side hauled themselves level at the last.
ASTON VILLA UNDER 21s (4-4-2): Proctor; Ealing (Barber 65), Munroe (Burchall 59), Rowe, Smith; Alcock, Rowe (Borland 65), O’Reilly, Broggio; Pierre (Hart 71), Richards. Subs (not used): Lewis.
BOOKED: O’Reilly.
GOAL: Hart (90+1).
FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-3-3): McNally; Donnell, Araujo, Odutayo, Williams; Okkas, O’Neill, Harris; Lanquedoc, Works (Bogle-Campbell 84), Šekularac. Subs (not used): Allen, Park, Picotto.
BOOKED: Okkas, Araujo, Harris.
SENT OFF: Williams.
GOAL: Šekularac (43).
REFEREE: Oliver Mackey.
