U18s: Brighton 1-2 Aston Villa

Trai-Varn Mulley's late winner ensured Aston Villa returned to winning ways in the Under-18 Premier League, with a 2-1 triumph on the road at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. 

Jimmy Shan's Young Lions were made to come from behind at The Amex Elite Football Performance Centre, after Zebedee Lawson gave the Seagulls the lead midway through the opening period. 

But the visitors' pressure told after the break, Jack McGrath pulling the visitors level on the hour mark, before Mulley struck seven minutes from time to make it six games without defeat for the FA Youth Cup finalists. 

It was the hosts who started the brighter on the south coast, Tyler Silsby threatening with a pair of efforts as the Seagulls looked for the lead.

And midway through the opening period, their pressure paid, as they took the lead through Lawson.

Henry Kasvosve found his fellow forward inside the area, and he arrowed an effort past Owen Asemota and into the bottom corner to put his side ahead.

Villa momentarily responded, with Markie Meade firing an effort over from the edge of the area, but it was Brighton who ended the half the stronger, with both Silsby and Lawson calling Asemota into action, as the opening period closed with Villa a goal down.

Shan’s side grew stronger after the restart, looking for their equaliser with both Rodrigo Fortes and McGrath failing to find the target, before Alfie Lynskey’s introduction from the bench on the hour mark immediately bore fruit for Villa shortly after. 

The midfielder created his side’s equalising goal within seconds of entering the action, feeding McGrath on the edge of the area who guided his shot into the bottom corner to restore parity.

The Villans were the side in the ascendancy, and continued pushing in their pursuit of a would-be winner, with both McGrath and Max Jenner forcing saves from Finley Taylor in the home goal.

And seven minutes from time, the visitors were rewarded for their pressure, Mulley snatching what would prove to be the goal that clinched the affair. Lynskey was again the architect, teeing the forward up inside the area, and he made no mistake in finding the bottom corner to ensure Villa sealed all three points.

The victory took Shan’s team to within three points of leaders Chelsea at the top of the Under-18 Premier League South division, still with three games in hand as the season reaches its conclusion.