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U23 Development League 2018/2019


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Stats updated on our 4-1 defeat to Plymouth Argyle, and not for the first time and certainly not the last, Villa fans have to rely on the opponent's feed and OS to get full info on the game.

On the Sunday, Derby had already demolished Bristol City 8-1 to go top of the group where they will now finish.

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Argyle 4
Battle 37, Jephcott 45, Rooney 51, Fletcher 67

Aston Villa 1
Wright 17

ARGYLE rounded off their Under-23 Premier League Cup campaign with a thumping 4-1 win over defending champions Aston Villa at Home Park on Monday night.

The Greens had to recover from a goal behind after Tyreik Wright gave the visitors a first-half lead, but an equaliser from Alex Battle, before goals from Luke Jephcott, Dan Rooney and Alex Fletcher added some gloss to the scoreline, leaving the young Pilgrims wondering what might have been as they exit the competition in the group stages.

Coach Kevin Nancekivell kept faith with a side that had performed so admirably in a difficult group, opting for only two changes from the starting eleven that were unlucky to only draw 2-2 against Bristol City last time out.

First-team squad members Conor Grant and Jamie Ness were included as over-age players, as they looked to step up their recovery from medium-term injury lay-offs. Adam Randell and Tom Purrington moved aside for their more-senior colleagues. There was a spot on the bench for forward Klaidi Lolos, on his return from a goalscoring trip to Greece for international duty.

Villa, meanwhile, lined-up as a very different beast from the one that defeated Argyle 1-0 earlier in the competition, likely due to their already secure passage to the latter stages of the competition.

The Greens belied the two clubs’ gulf in resources with a scintillating start, hitting the woodwork twice in the opening two minutes. Firstly, a delicious in-swinging free-kick from Grant was nodded on to the far post by a Villa defender, with Ness’ rebound deflected inches wide of the post. From the resultant corner, it was Ness again who came close, seeing his hooked volley crash off the crossbar after being supplied by Jordan Bentley’s superb cushioned header.

It was Villa, though, who took the lead on 17 minutes. In the left-back position, Ryan Law took a little too long to get the ball out from under his feet; Villa forward Wright pounced on Law’s dalliance and punished the young pilgrims, slotting the ball into the far corner past an exposed Mike Cooper.

Villa were certainly buoyed by their fortune, and without brave blocks from Mike Peck and Bentley, they might have doubled their advantage. The Greens, now ruing their inability to convert early in the game, battled for opportunities in front of goal, with Rooney blazing over from the edge of the box just after the half-hour mark.

Argyle continued to cause trouble for the visiting defenders through the set-pieces of Grant, so it was perhaps unsurprising that’s where their equaliser came from. The midfielder’s left-footed out-swinging corner was met with full force by the towering head of Bentley. Although the centre-half’s goal-bound effort was blocked, it was helped towards goal by Ness, and turned home by Battle from all of two yards.

As the half drew to a close, the fledgling Pilgrims were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead. Rooney, working doggedly to find a route to goal in a busy Villa box, was clattered inside the area. From the resultant spot-kick, Jephcott coolly slotted into the bottom left corner, beating goalkeeper Sam Lomax even though he dived the right way.

During the interval, senior players Grant and Ness were withdrawn, having fulfilled their 45-minute secondment, replaced by Randell and Purrington. The Pilgrims began the second-half as they finished the first and doubled their advantage on 51 minutes.

Fletcher found some space on the right-flank, setting off on a devastating run past the full-back and into the box. His dribble continued unchecked to the by-line, where he laid off the simplest of finishes for Rooney to tap home.

Argyle added a fourth, against the defending champions, remember, when Fletcher, who had deserved a goal for sheer mileage covered, turned Rooney’s perfectly-threaded centre into the far corner of the net.

With time ticking down, Bentley produced a brave block to deny a goal-bound effort with Cooper beaten. At the other end, Lolos drilled a venomous effort just wide from 20-yards.

Argyle (4-3-3): 1 Mike Cooper; 2 Harry Hodges, 5 Mike Peck, 6 Jordan Bentley, 3 Ryan Law; 10 Dan Rooney (16 Klaidi Lolos, 76), 4 Jamie Ness (14 Tom Purrington, 46), 8 Conor Grant (12 Adam Randell, 46), 7 Luke Jephcott, 9 Alex Fletcher (capt), 11 Alex Battle. Substitutes (not used): 13 Harry Townsend (gk), 15 Isaac Burdon.

Booked: Ness 38

Aston Villa (4-3-3): 1 Sam Lomax, 2 Jake Walker, 3 Callum Rowe (14 Bradley Burton, 73), 4 Dominic Revan, 5 Easah Suliman, 6 Alex Prosser, 7 Cameron Archer (16 Michael Tait, 80), 8 Lewis Brunt (15 Indiana Vassilev, 61), 9 Harvey Knibbs, 10 Jacob Ramsey, 11 Tyreik Wright. Substitutes (not used) 13 Viljami Sinisalo (gk), 12 Jack Birch.

Booked:

Referee: Scott Jackson

Attendance: 212

 

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6 hours ago, sir_gary_cahill said:

Our u23s are playing Sunderland this evening at the Banks’ Stadium (7pm kick off), anyone know if it’s on YouTube?

Can't see any mention yet.

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8 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

Sarkic (6) - dealt with everything that was thrown at him and has the happy and uncanny ability to make the striker hit every shot straight at his chest. 

Bazeley-Graham (6) - in a fight down the right side, their left winger was a very tricky customer and IBG just plain old outworked him in the end. Solid.

Suliman (6) -a calming influence and an important physical presence in dealing with Sunderland's comically angry number nine.

Revan (6) - he's quicker than I thought, got into a couple of scrapes with the aforementioned perma-furious striker but stayed the right side of his temper and won through.

Rowe (6) - I really like Callum Rowe - it wasn't easy for him today, but he's busy, has some ambition to his play and is a tough old nut.

Clarke (7) - went off after an hour that must have felt like a sequel to Gladiator. Muck and bullets and boots and ankles and fight. He's probably our best midfielder on the ball - he's very willing to have a scrap to go get it.

Brunt (6) - in the first half, I wondered about him, he seemed quiet, almost out of the way - but late on a couple of times I thought I saw one of the subs charging at the Sunderland defence and knew they wouldn't fancy having to deal with fresh legs - only to realise that those legs were this fellas. In the last twenty minutes he was the strongest man on the field and impressive.

Ramsey (6) - didn't quite come off for him today. He kicked and was kicked, he had moments where he won balls and moments where he lost them. He got booked and suffered a tackle or two that might have been bookings. In the youth cup, he's dominant - tonight he had to work much harder for an influence - it's important to remember that even with his cameo for the first team under the belt, the U23's are still a step up for the seventeen year old. This game will do him good.

Archer (7) - another young player, he struggled at times to get to the ball and keep it, the full back would nip in or a midfielder would pinch it from him - but every time he turned the full back he looked a threat - very quick and with good feet - for the first hour he was our main outlet and a real danger down the left hand side.

Wright (6) - the young Irishman is to an extent the opposite of Archer in style - he can keep a ball pinged into him, even with a defender on his back - he was very strong today. He comes inside a fair bit looking for space and one-two's rather than the quick stand and sprint of Archer, but he's no less effective for it. I thought Ty-Euro Sign gave a good account of himself tonight.

Knibbs (7) - just an out and out grafter. He's played bumper cars with the centre halves for ninety minutes and covered every part of the Bescot pitch. I reckon they store him in a special serum between matches. I'm tired just watching him.

subs

Prosser (7) - came on and took over from Clarke very well, they're very different in style but Prosser's calmness was useful in the last half an hour. Took the penalty very well.

Mooney (6) - ran the channels, pressured the defence and gave us an option. He'll be disappointed he couldn't quite find a chance from a number of moments when the ball almost ran for him.

Jake Walker (6) - smuggled a couple of grapefruits on in his socks late on and helped us see out the game. 

I kinda feel the marks are a bit of a hash - it's hard to pick out the best and worst of what was a complete team effort. It wasn't a game of beautiful football, it was a manic fight from start to finish. They won this one with hearts, not skills. Lions indeed.

 

It’s good to hear that we have grafters and strength there. Too often in the past our youth have been good technically but very weak. A mixture of both will stand them well.

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https://www.premierleague.com/news/1086976?sf208844293=1

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PL Cup last 16 draw

Burnley v Leicester City

Derby County v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Everton v Sunderland

Leeds United v Fulham

Nottingham Forest v AFC Bournemouth

Reading v Newcastle United

Stoke City v Blackburn Rovers

Swansea City v Aston Villa

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Stats updated.  That's some welcome daylight between ourselves and the chasing pack.  Four games to go and five points inside the playoff places.  Only six off the faltering Southampton too.

We've a tricky fixture list remaining, although if we do well we jump over them.  At Newcastle (4th), v Wolves (2nd), at Reading (3rd) and a gimme (;)) versus West Brom (9th).

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@OutByEaster? Great reporting, mate - sterling job.

I know what you mean by Clarke - every time I have seen him play - he looks like a transplant from the time that football forgot - bits of Terry Hurlock, Trevor Hockey, Steve McMahon - and more recently, Lee Cattermole.

Shirt never outside shorts., shorts rolled up at waist, sleeves rolled up till they are under his ears.....

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