U21s: Aston Villa 0-4 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Aston Villa fell to defeat in Premier League 2 on Saturday afternoon, losing 4-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers Under-21s at Bodymoor Heath. 

A brace for striker Fletcher Holman put Wolves in a commanding position, before Fabien Reynolds added a third after the break. 

Josep Gombau’s Young Lions ended the affair with 10 players, after substitute Luka Lynch’s stray boot caught Justin Hubner in the head late on, before Ty Barnett made sure of the victory for the visitors with a fine strike in the 14th minute of stoppage time. 

In a game which took its time to get going, it was the Villans who fashioned the first opportunities.

Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba’s drilled half-volley on the turn was kept out by Lewys Benjamin, before the Wolves stopper picked up what was adjudged to be a backpass from Caden Voice, handing Villa an indirect free-kick inside the area. After a neat routine, Travis Patterson’s effort was blocked.

But the visitors grew into the affair, and could have taken the lead minutes later. Ethan Sutherland beat Villa stopper Sam Lewis to the ball in the air, but lashed his half-volley wide from a tight angle, with the goal gaping.

Five minutes before the break, and Wolves did have the lead, however. Neat play from captain Temple Ojinnaka and Reynolds on the right-hand side saw the former swing a ball to the back post, where Holman guided a header into the far corner.

Wolves took their momentum from the end of the first period into the second and, within six minutes, had doubled their advantage.

Having won the ball back high up the field, the visitors looked to catch Villa off guard. Barnett showed quick thinking to feed Holman, who turned Sil Swinkels inside the area and found the bottom corner for his second of the game.

The Young Lions looked for an instant response, with Charlie Lutz turning inside the area and testing Benjamin with a stinging drive moments later.

But it was the away side who added a third with just under 20 minutes of normal time remaining as, after a corner came in, Reynolds was the first to pounce on a loose ball inside the area, to steer home.

Villa’s afternoon went from bad to worse as the game drew to a close, when they were reduced to 10 players. After Lutz’s strike was stopped by Benjamin, Lynch attempted an overhead kick on the rebound, but instead caught Hubner in the head, and the referee gave the substitute his marching orders.

After a lengthy stoppage while Hubner was treated and eventually replaced, the hosts battled for a way back into the game throughout the 14 minutes of added time, but it was Wolves who made sure of the points with a fourth goal late on. 

The visitors played a corner short, with Barnett drifting inside and picking up possession, before curling a fine effort into the far corner to cap off a frustrating afternoon for the Villans. 

Gombau’s side travel to Blackpool in the Vertu Trophy Round of 32 in their final outing of the calendar year next Tuesday, with the winner set to face Bradford City in the next round, following Saturday morning’s draw.