By Aston Villa FC

Aston Villa suffered a 5-2 defeat at the hands of runaway leaders West Ham United in the Under-18 Premier League South on Friday afternoon.

Callum Marshall and Gideon Kodua put the Hammers into a commanding two-goal lead with quickfire goals inside the opening 13 minutes at a windy Bodymoor Heath.

Max Lott gave the Young Lions hope when he poked home from close range after Finley Munroe’s free-kick had taken a looping deflection.

But the visitors added a third early in the second half courtesy of Patrick Kelly before Kodua grabbed his second of the game in the 65th minute.

Favour Fawunmi made it 5-1 late on and, despite an own goal from fellow substitute Josh Briggs, West Ham secured a 12th win from 12 league games.

The Villans will now be looking to bounce back when they face Southampton in the FA Youth Cup fourth round at Villa Park on Tuesday afternoon. To secure your tickets, click here.

58%

Possession

42%
8

Shots

18
5

Shots On Target

9
2

Corners

7
9

Fouls

8

0

0

Cards

0

0

Villa made a positive start and Charlie Pavey fired over when well placed after Lott had latched on to James Wright’s long ball, rounded Hammers goalkeeper Mason Terry and pulled the ball back.

Villa stopper Wright made a smart save to deny Marshall but there was nothing he could do moments later as the West Ham No.9 tapped home to open the scoring.

It was 2-0 in the 13th minute as Wright parried from Marshall and Kodua was on hand to convert the rebound.

But Villa grabbed a lifeline shortly after the half-hour mark as they were awarded a free-kick inside the penalty area following a back pass.

Munroe’s shot took a looping deflection off the approaching Hammers wall and Lott was on hand to poke home from close range at the back post.

And the visitors had keeper Terry to thank for preserving their advantage before the break as he tipped over from Omari Kellyman.

Yet the second half was only three minutes old when Kelly restored the visitors’ two-goal advantage with a powerful low strike from inside the area which Wright could not hold.

Todd Alcock tested Terry from distance just after the hour mark as Villa looked for a route back into the encounter.

But the Hammers made it 4-1 in the 65th minute as Kodua latched on to George Earthy’s throughball and slotted past Wright.

Lott failed to find the target when presented with a good opportunity, while Munroe fired over from distance in the 81st minute.

Hammers sub Fawunmi added a late fifth for the visitors before centre-back Briggs put through his own net to complete the scoring.



Aston Villa U18: Wright, Smith, Munroe, Triston Rowe, Feeney, Alcock (Rhoades 79'), Pierre, Barnes (Barber 69'), Lott, Pavey, Kellyman.

Subs: Softley.

West Ham U18: Terry, Bates, Falase, Jones (Briggs 67'), Battrum, Tarima, Kelly, Earthy (Rigge 68'), Scarles (Akpata 72'), Marshall (Umolu 78'), Kodua (Fawunmi 79').

Subs: