Town’s U18 side concluded their pre-season preparations with a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa at Playford Road on Saturday afternoon. First team striker Pablo Couñago, who has been training with the youths following a bust-up with Roy Keane, watched the game from the sidelines.
Villa took the lead after nine minutes when striker Connor Taylor reacted quickest to the rebound following good build-up play on the left-hand side.
Defender Callum Bennett came closest to equalising for Town in the first half when he made a strong burst from right-back, but his shot was tipped around the post by Villa keeper Benjamin Siegrist.
Josh Carson, who was an unused sub with the first team at Exeter on Tuesday night, saw his freekick fumbled by Siegrist before Villa broke and skipper Daniel Johnson somehow managed to put the ball over the bar from six yards.
The young Blues were controlling the flow of the match with plenty of the ball, but they failed to create many clear-cut chances against a strong Villa defence.
Town skipper Josh Meekings conceded a penalty after 70 minutes when he was adjudged to have pulled back one-time Town academy trialist Derrick Williams from a corner. Williams took the penalty himself but it was a poor attempt and it was comfortably saved.
However, Villa did double their lead on 79 when Graham Burke followed up some impressive play from Samir Carruthers and slotted home the visitors’ second.
Town’s Canadian striker Caolan Lavery dragged a left-foot shot wide of the post late on but overall the visitors probably deserved the win as they took their chances and defended well throughout.
Aaron Jones was probably the stand-out performer in midfield for Town, but again the failure to create and take chances was the Blues’ downfall.
The U18s begin their league season when they travel to Wolves next Saturday lunchtime (KO 12 noon).