>FA Premier Academy League (Under-17s):

Charlton's U17 side had slack defending to blame for their third
defeat of the season at Sparrows Lane on Saturday morning.
Fresh from their encouraging 3-1 victory over Coventry seven days
earlier, Steve Avory's side began the game in fine style and actually
held the lead. But after conceding an equaliser shortly before half-
time, contrived to fall apart defensively as Aston Villa stepped up
the pace after the break.
It was a strange result because there was very little between the
two team in terms of their attacking prowess, and if anything it was
the young Addicks that saw more of the ball even in the second half.
However, the speed and invention of front pair Shane Paul and
Gabriel Agbonlahor in the end proved too much for schoolboy defenders
Sheku Kamara and Jack Clifford and it was this imbalance that was the
difference.
Charlton were quickly into their stride and before the first minute
had elapsed, James Walker whistled a shot past the far post having
robbed defender Magnus Troest.
Villa also had an early chance moments later when Paul slid a ball
through the rapid Agbonlahor, but the nagging presence of centre-half
Clifford was enough to persuade the forward to drag his effort wide
of the near upright.
Even at such an early stage it seemed as though a goal at either end
was imminent, and Charlton's opener arrived in the fifth minute. A
foul on the silky Alistair John gave Avory's boys their first chance
to deliver a free-kick from a dangerous area, and it was once again
central defender Sheku Kamara that rose highest to head home Myles
Weston's cross to grab his third goal of the season.
The home side should really have increased their advantage 12
minutes later when energetic midfielder Danny Haynes picked out the
run of six-goal schoolboy Onome Sodje, but the forward proved that he
is human by dragging his drive across goalkeeper Robert Olejnik's
goal.
There was a great freedom about Charlton's work early on and just
before the half-hour Phillips combined with Weston down the left and
the England U16 flanker crossed for Walker, who was unlucky to see
his left-footed shot on the turn float over the top.
To Villa's credit, they finished the half strongly and were a
constant menace with the fine movement of Agbonlahor and Paul, and it
took an incredible reaction save from Darren Randolph to keep his
side's lead intact ten minutes before half-time.
Christian Kabeya crossed to the far post where Troest climbed well,
only to see his close range header acrobatically tipped over by the
hitherto untested Randolph.
But all of a sudden it the visitors doing all the pressing and
defender Paul Green looked like levelling things when his looping
volley from Craig Garnder's corner sailed toward the top corner, but
fortunately for Charlton it didn't quite dip enough and floated an
inch over.
The leveller arrived five minutes before the break, however, and was
fully deserved. An early through ball from midfield caught the young
Addicks' defence cold and Agbonlahor, after showing Clifford a clean
pair of heels, found the bottom corner with a clinical finish.
It was an effort that had a deflating effect on the SE7 youngsters
and Villa were able to capitalise in impressive fashion. Just seconds
into the restart, Gardner's corner was poorly defended and Troest was
on hand to lash home the loose ball from close range...

-

For the second half of this U17s match report by Terry Cordwell at
CAFC.co.uk, go to:
>http://www.cafc.co.uk/academy/u17.jsp
[Aston Villa | Home Report]