Aston Villa's Under-23s suffered a 3-2 defeat to Fulham at Bodymoor Heath on Friday evening.
Louie Barry scored either side of half-time in the Premier League 2 encounter, but ultimately it wasn't enough as the visitors made Mark Delaney's side pay for some sloppy defending.
Villa started the game with intent, and fashioned a couple of eary chances in front of the Fulham goal.
Carney Chukwuemeka saw his close-range volley blocked, whiel Aaron Ramsey blazed over in similar circumstances.
Chukwuemeka was then thwarted at close range moments before Barry's effort was tipped wide of the post by Luca Ashby-Hammond.
Delaney's men were building up a head of steam, when Fulham suprisingly took the lead against the run of play.
Despite their fortune in fashioning a rare opportunity, the visitors seized it with both hands when Fabio Carualho drilled an effort past Tom Heaton from the edge of the area.
Villa responded well, however, and levelled things up before the break.
Tyreik Wright, ever the livewire, was released down the right-hand side, and squared for Barry to tap home and get the hosts back on level terms.
Fulham came out of the break with a sense of urgency, and quickly regained their one-goal advantage when Jean Pierre-Tiehi slipped an effort past the onrushing Heaton.
As was the case in the first half, Villa responded well to going behind, and should've equalised a second time when Wright fired over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
In a topsy-turvy second period, parity was restored on the hour-mark when Barry slotted home when sent through on goal.
The drama was nowhere near finished though, and Fulham edged in front once more when Pierre-Tiehi poked past Heaton from inside the area.
The hosts went in search of one last leveller, but time ran out on them as the Cottagers took all three points away with them.
Villa: Heaton, Hayden, Rowe, D. Revan (C), Bridge, Bogarde, Wright, Chukwuemeka, Barry (Farr 79'), A. Ramsey (H. Sohna 65'), Philogene-Bidace
Unused Subs: Onodi (GK), M. Sohna, Sylla
Goals: Barry (37', 60')