Goals from TJ Carroll, Jack McGrath, Alfie Lynskey and Markie Meade inspired four-star Aston Villa to a convincing win over a ragged Fulham under-18 side at Bodymoor Heath this afternoon.
Brodie Dair forced a save from home goalkeeper Owen Asemota within thirty seconds of the kick off, but the hosts took the lead far too easily when Carroll nodded in his third goal of the season after the visiting defence failed to clear a free-kick. Villa assumed utter dominance of the contest, except for a moment when Dair darted behind their back four after nicking the ball from a defender but the Scottish striker was foiled by Asemota as he aimed a shot from the acutes of angles.
McGrath doubled Villa’s lead with a sublime free-kick that bent and dipped beyond Dino Kaiser on the half hour mark and the home side were rampant when Lynskey stroked in a terrific third from the edge of the area four minutes later. Jimmy Shan’s side reached the FA Youth Cup final earlier this week but there were no signs of a hangover as the best of a treasured Bodymoor Heath production line have a domestic double in their sights.
The hosts certainly didn’t ease off after the interval, either, with Meade making it four just before the hour mark after he latched onto a lovely ball from captain Ashton McWilliams and left a disappointed Kaiser with no chance. Wingate did bag a consolation two minutes from time but the Fulham forward could hardly fail to convert Macaulay Zepa’s cross from barely two yards out. The celebration was perfunctory befitting a chastening afternoon for Ali Melloul’s badly beaten eleven.
ASTON VILLA UNDER 18s (4-3-3): Asemota; Bloomfield, McWilliams, Carroll (Wilson 60), Routh (C. Ramsey 60); Jenner, Quinn, Lynsky (Moreland 60); McGrath, Burgess, Meade (Lott 72). Subs (not used): Houston.
BOOKED: Burgess.
GOALS: Carroll (6), McGrath (30), Lynskey (34), Meade (59).
FULHAM UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): Kaiser; Scutter, Benchaita (Picotto 41), Slade, Cooke; Chingwaro, Khan (White 45); Grant (Evans 63), Cavell (Zepa 45), Wingate; Dair. Subs (not used): Mayer.
BOOKED: Wingate.
GOAL: Wingate (90).
REFEREE: Ben Stott.
