Despite a raft of chances at both ends, Aston Villa's Under-18s drew 0-0 with Arsenal at Bodymoor Heath on Tuesday afternoon.
Periods of the game were end-to-end as both sides searched for the decisive goal, but the goalkeepers and some brilliant defending ensured that the scores remained level at the full-time whistle.
Arsenal made a bright start and looked to make the most of quick passes in behind the Villa defence, with Omari Hutchinson forcing a good save from Filip Marschall inside two minutes.
The Villa 'keeper had to be alert again midway through the first half to thwart another counter-attack; this time he was quick off his line to cut out a threatening pass from Joel Ideho.
After Arsenal's fast start, Villa grew into the game and captain Paul Appiah had two headed attempts from successive corners, with one glanced off target and another saved by Ovie Ejeheri.
Seb Revan - who signed his first professional contract last week - then curled one just wide of the post, and moments later Brad Young saw a close-range effort well saved.
The striker had another chance seven minutes after the break but couldn't find the target, before Sil Swinkels made a top recovery challenge to prevent an opener at the other end.
Chances continued to flow as the game moved towards the final 20 minutes, with Marschall having to produce another strong stop from Arsenal substitute Billy Vigar.
Villa went looking for space in behind during the closing stages but Arsenal's defensive line stood firm and the home side's momentum was halted by the offside flag on a number of occasions.
The visitors were inches away from taking all three points with the last two actions of the game, as two efforts came back off Marschall's post following Hutchinson's wide free-kick delivery.
With the points shared, Sean Verity's side remain ahead of Arsenal in the U18 Premier League South table, and six points off top spot with two games in hand.
Aston Villa: Marschall; Ealing (McBride 46'), Appiah (C), Swinkels, S. Revan; T. O'Reilly, Lindley, Hart; Reddin (Abldeen-Goodridge 73'), Young, Afoka (Sewell 73').
Substitutes not used: Zych, A. O'Reilly.
Arsenal: Ejeheri; Norton-Cuffy (C), Foran, Oyegoke, Jeffcott; Bandeira, Francis; Hutchinson, Butler-Oyedeji (Vigar 46'), Ideho (Sagoe Junior 76'); Edwards.
Substitutes not used: Mitchell, Awe.
