Match Report:
Villa secured progression to the knockout stages of the Under-18 Premier League Cup on Saturday, triumphing 3-2 over Leicester City at Bodymoor Heath.
Goals from Harry Pinnell, Jack McGrath and Finlay Barnard helped secure all three points for Richard Beale’s Young Lions, after the Foxes had broken the deadlock early on and then pulled a goal back in stoppage time.
The victory ensures Villa finish the first phase of the competition top of Group B, with a perfect record of three wins from their three outings.
Beale’s boys were returning to action for the first time since the international break, and made a slow start to proceedings at their training base, falling behind inside the opening nine minutes.
But just seven minutes later, the Villans had hit back and were on level terms again, Pinnell notching his first Under-18s goal for the club to quickly even affairs.
Just after the midway stage of the opening period, things had got better still for the hosts, McGrath netting his third goal of the group stage to put Villa ahead, ensuring they would take a 2-1 lead into the half-time break.
Villa's resurgence continued into the second period, and having plugged away for their third goal, it came 13 minutes from time to all but wrap up the three points and a place in the next round, Barnard scoring his first at under-18 level.
There would, however, still be time for more late drama courtesy of the visitors, who pulled a goal back in the second minute of added time to make for a nervy ending.
But Beale’s side held on to successfully see out the victory and book their spot in the knockout stages, ahead of next Saturday's trip to Fulham as they return to Under-18 Premier League action. 

2025-26 u18 Premier League Cup Appearance & Goal Record
GK Rhys Oakley | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 1 | ✅ 1 | 🔁 0 | 🥅 2 | ⛔ 0 | 🇺1 |
CB Junior Wilson | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 3 | ✅ 3 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
LB Finlay Barnard | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 2 | ✅ 2 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 1 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
LB Harry Pinnell | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 3 | ✅ 2 | 🔁 1 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
CM Lennon Melhuish | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 3 | ✅ 2 | 🔁 1 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
CM Keilan Quinn | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 1 | ✅ 1 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
AM Fletcher Boyd | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 2 | ✅ 2 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 2 | 🇺0 |
AM Jack McGrath | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 2 | ✅ 2 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 4 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
W Alfie Lynskey | 🇮🇪 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 2 | ✅ 2 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 1 | 🇺0 |
F Oscar Johnson | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 1 | ✅ 1 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
CF Markie Meade | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 3 | ✅ 3 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 4 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
AM Cole Ramsey | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 2 | ✅ 0 | 🔁 2 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
AM Jahmi Kellyman | 🇬🇧 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 2 | ✅ 0 | 🔁 2 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
F Vinnie Hayward | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 2 | ✅ 1 | 🔁 1 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
CF Rio Hammond | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 1 | ✅ 0 | 🔁 1 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
GK Jack Allan | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 0 | ✅ 0 | 🔁 0 | 🥅 0 | ⛔ 0 | 🇺0 |
GK Theo Houston | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 1 | ✅ 1 | 🔁 0 | 🥅 1 | ⛔ 0 | 🇺0 |
CB Farid Addey | 🇸🇪 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 2 | ✅ 2 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
LB Teddie Bloomfield | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 1 | ✅ 1 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 1 | 🔥 1 | 🇺0 |
CM Oliver Bindley | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 2 | ✅ 2 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
AM Max Jenner | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 2 | ✅ 2 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
F Daniel Adediran | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 1 | ✅ 0 | 🔁 1 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
CM Olly Lloyd | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 1 | ✅ 0 | 🔁 1 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
GK Jayden Garthwaite | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 0 | ✅ 0 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺1 |
GK Owen Asemota | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 1 | ✅ 1 | 🔁 0 | 🥅 1 | ⛔ 0 | 🇺0 |
RB Jacob Green | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 1 | ✅ 1 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
DM Woody Burgess | 🇩🇪 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 1 | ✅ 1 | 🔁 0 | ⚽ 1 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
RB Clay Atkins | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 1 | ✅ 0 | 🔁 1 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |
AM Josh Blake | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | 2025-26 u18PLC 🕒 1 | ✅ 0 | 🔁 1 | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺0 |