U21s: Sutton Coldfield 0-5 Aston Villa

Aston Villa Under-21s secured their spot in round four of the Birmingham Senior Cup in style on Tuesday evening, with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Sutton Coldfield Town.

Josep Gombau's Young Lions continued their defence of the trophy with a commanding performance at the Domino's Arena, as goals from Charlie Pavey, Todd Alcock, Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba and I-Lani Edwards sealed a comfortable win. 

The Villans took a 1-0 lead into half-time thanks to a superb free-kick from Pavey, before finding another gear after the break to make sure of the triumph, as Alcock and then Jimoh-Aloba finished from inside the area, before the latter forced an own goal from Pedro Lima and substitute Edwards struck from close range to complete the scoring. 

Villa were in control from the first whistle, enjoying the majority of the possession at the Central Ground, however it was the Royals who carved out the first opening, as Lander Emery had to be alert to deny Owen Parry, who had connected with a corner at the near post and flicked a header goalwards. 

But the Young Lions responded with chances of their own, growing into the first period further as it wore on. Just after the quarter-hour, Pavey cut inside and saw his effort deflected into the arms of goalkeeper James Wren. 

Ten minutes later, Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba had the ball in the net, after being found well in behind by Triston Rowe's through ball, but the assistant's flag had been raised for offside, before Kyrie Pierre's shot from distance troubled Wren, who held at the second attempt. 

The Villans would not have to wait much longer for their breakthrough, however, as Charlie Lutz was felled on the edge of the area and the referee awarded a free-kick. 

Pavey stepped up and sent an unstoppable effort swerving into the top corner from the edge of the box, kissing the woodwork on its way in for 1-0.

Five minutes later and the visitors might have doubled their lead, as Pavey again stood over a free-kick, this time a little further out and wide of the box. He swung a delivery into the area which Lutz met, though he could only glance his effort inches wide of the far post, as the first half was brought to a halt with Villa a goal to the good. 

The visiting side entered overdrive after the break, finding another four goals, with the first coming within five minutes of the restart as Rodrigo Fortes darted to the byline and pulled back for captain Alcock, who made no mistake to double the advantage. 

It was one-way traffic in the second period, and nine minutes later the Villans had a third when Jimoh-Aloba had time to pick his spot inside the area, steering confidently into the bottom corner. 

And Villa's No.10 had a large part to play in the fourth, too. His venomous effort from the edge of the area crashed against the crossbar, before he chased down the loose ball and sent it back into the box from a wide position, seeing it turned in by Sutton Coldfield's Pedro Lima for an own goal. 

Still, the Young Lions looked for more, and after Lutz had been denied from close range after good work from substitute Kane Taylor, it was another substitute, Edwards, who notched their fifth, the winger in the right place at the right time at the back post to tap Brad Burrowes' cross home. 

It capped off a successful evening for Gombau's team, as a professional display saw them advance to round four of the Birmingham Senior Cup, before a return to Premier League 2 matters at Bodymoor Heath next Monday evening, against Fulham (ko 7pm). 

Aston Villa: Emery; Rowe, Katsukunya, Barnes (Amundsen-Day 46'), Fortes; Burrowes, Alcock (c), Pavey, Pierre (Edwards 46'); Jimoh-Aloba, Lutz. Subs (not used): Lewis (GK); Taylor, Borland. 

Goals: Pavey (32'), Alcock (50'), Jimoh-Aloba (59'), Lima (69' OG), Edwards (78'). 

Sutton Coldfield: Wren; McGinnell, Lynch, Lima, Beresford, Hurley, Birch (Taylor 76'), Doyle (Wilson 76'), Parry, Burke (Edmunds 56'), Tomkinson. Subs (not used): Christophorou, Collins.