U18s: Aston Villa 4-1 Fulham

Aston Villa made it four-consecutive victories on their return to Under-18 Premier League action on Saturday lunchtime, beating Fulham 4-1 at Bodymoor Heath.

Jimmy Shan’s Young Lions raced into a commanding three-goal lead in the opening period thanks to goals from TJ Carroll, Jack McGrath and Alfie Lynskey.

Markie Meade added a fourth for the Villans shortly before the hour mark, meaning Tom Wingate’s last-minute response for the Cottagers proved little more than a consolation.

Villa were on top from the off, and needed just six minutes to break the deadlock, thanks to the in-form Carroll, the towering defender being positioned in the right place at the right time to head home a corner which had been nodded back across goal.

And Shan’s charges looked to cash in on their early dominance, with Meade, McGrath and Keilan Quinn all unsuccessful with efforts to beat Dino Kaiser in the Fulham goal.

But the Cottagers looked for a response, themselves and tested Owen Asemota in their attempts to draw level, the Villa goalkeeper doing well to parry Wingate’s stinging effort from the right side of the box.

However, with half an hour on the clock, the hosts had daylight on their opponents, doubling their lead in style as McGrath stepped up to a free-kick on the very edge of the area and sent a swerving effort past the helpless Kaiser and into the top corner.

The second goal provided the home side with a springboard to progress from, as they looked to finish the job in the opening 45 minutes. Just four minutes later, it was three. Max Jenner did well to win the ball back high up the field, allowing Lynskey to pick up the loose ball and stroke it beyond Kaiser.

And it might have been more before the break, too. McGrath and Leon Routh were both denied by the visiting ‘keeper, before Meade cut inside and aimed for the far corner, looking destined to score had it not been for the post which his shot cannoned back off.

But Villa were well in control, and Meade would get his name on the scoresheet within 15 minutes of the restart, to put his side four goals ahead.

Woody Burgess led a wonderful, sweeping attack, exchanging passes with both Jenner and Ashton McWilliams before slipping Meade through, who this time made no mistake in confidently finishing past Kaiser.

The energy had been taken out of Ali Melloul’s side, who struggled to find a way back into the contest.

Both Luca Picotto and Macauley Zepa looked to test Asemota, while Wingate’s cross ricocheted off Bradley Slade in the centre, but failed to trouble the Villa stopper.

However the Cottagers were rewarded for their efforts as the affair ticked into added time. Wingate, who carried a threat for the away side throughout, timed his run well in the centre to convert into a gaping net, having been found by Zepa who had got the better of Teddie Bloomfield.

But the consolation could not dampen the spirits of Shan and his players, who deservedly triumphed in their first league outing in a month.

Just five days after securing their spot in the FA Youth Cup final, the Young Lions moved back up to fourth in the Under-18 Premier League South table. They sit six points behind leaders Crystal Palace, though still hold six games in hand on the south London outfit.