U18s: West Brom 1-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa fought back to earn a point in the Under-18 Premier League on Tuesday morning, as spoils were shared in a 1-1 draw away at West Bromwich Albion. 

Despite Owen Asemota's early penalty save, it was the hosts who took the lead into the half-time break at their training base, thanks to Cole Deeming's effort four minutes from the interval. 

But Jimmy Shan's Young Lions rallied in the second period, as Teddie Bloomfield drew them level just after the hour mark to ensure they would take a point back to Bodymoor Heath. 

The Baggies started the clash the brighter, and had a penalty within 12 minutes when Divine Onyemachi was brought to ground by Keilan Quinn inside the area. 

The home attacker dusted himself down to take the spot-kick, but saw his effort stopped by Asemota who dived low to his left and kept the ball out. 

West Brom continued to apply pressure on their visitors, with Deeming, Alfie Maughan and Ryan Colesby all testing Asemota and his Villa defence. 

But the Villans could not keep their hosts out for the remainder of the opening period, as with four minutes left to play of the first half, the Baggies took the lead. Deeming took a pass from Harry French on the edge of the area and arrowed a shot past Asemota and into the bottom corner from the edge of the area. 

The Villans, now chasing the game, began the second half much stronger, with Quinn, Max Jenner, Alfie Lynskey and Trai-Varn Mulley all taking turns to try their luck. 

Almost an hour was on the clock when the equaliser came, courtesy of Bloomfield. Woody Burgess sent a teasing ball into the area which the Villa left-back attacked at the far post, prodding home from close range to level affairs. 

The visitors upped their intensity further in pursuit of a second goal which would spin the tie on its head. Mulley and Quinn continued to test the Baggies backline, but their best chance, and closest they would get, came in the fourth minute of added time. 

Leon Routh got his head to a corner allowing centre-back partner TJ Carroll to get a headed effort away, though he could only nod against the crossbar, much to the agony of Shan and his side. 

Further opportunities for a would-be winner fell to Bloomfield and Cole Ramsey, though push as hard as they did, the second goal proved elusive for Villa, as they were made to settle for a point. 

The draw means Shan's charges remain fourth in the Under-18 Premier League South table, four points behind leaders Southampton, but still with three games in hand, ahead of this Saturday's trip to Brighton & Hove Albion.