Under-21s 0 Aston Villa 0: Albion held in final PL2 game

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Shannon Ruth's side will have to wait to discover their play-off opponents.

Nick Szczepanik

2026-04-03T21:00+01:00

Ben Barclay clears the danger under pressure from two Villa players. Photo: James Boardman

Albion’s under-21s endured a frustrating Friday evening at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre with a goalless draw with Aston Villa.

Shannon Ruth’s side were looking for a third successive win in Premier League 2 following a 2-0 success at Burnley and a 5-0 victory at home to Everton in their previous outing.

But although they enjoyed most of the possession and created more chances, especially in the first half, they couldn’t find a way through.

Albion’s first threat came when Noel Atom just failed to reach Josh Robertson’s driven free kick at the far post. Then Robertson picked up a loose ball in midfield, went past two Villa players and drew a sprawling save from goalkeeper James Wright.

And Joe Belmont was unlucky to see his first-time shot hit Wright’s outstretched foot instead of the net when he met Sean Keogh’s low cross from the left.

Not much had been seen of the Villa attack but Albion skipper Charlie Tasker had to be alert to steal the ball from Mason Cotcher after a fast break from the visitors after 25 minutes.

Tyler Silsby gets a shot away as Albion push for the opening goal. Photo: James Boardman

And within seconds Tasker was having a half-volley unwittingly blocked by Belmont following a cleverly-worked corner kick.

And as if to emphasise that it was not his night, Belmont mis-kicked just before the interval after Shane Nti’s cross from the right had picked him out.

Miah Oriola, who has been in goalscoring form with six in the previous six games, bamboozled Villa right back Woody Burgess early in the second half to engineer himself a free run down the left but he shot past the far post.

Villa, though, began to come into the game and only a stern challenge from Ben Barclay ended a threatening forward surge from Mohamed Kone, while goalkeeper Steven Hall did well to fingertip Luka Lynch’s free kick around the post.

Midfielder Josh Robertson gets in a challenge. Photo: James Boardman

Albion’s answer was to send on Zane Albarus to stem Villa's progress in central midfield and it turned the tide back in their favour, but the all-important goal continued to elude them. A curling effort from Tyler Silsby that drifted wide was as close as they came to a late winner.

Villa finished the game with ten men after central defender Leon Routh was shown a straight red card in added time, but it came too late for Albion to take advantage.