WATFORD under 18s lost out to Aston Villa on Saturday (17 November) after the visitors scored a hotly disputed winner inside the last 10 minutes.

The young Hornets started the game positively with Kieron Forbes' long throws causing problems in the Villa defence.

That danger led to an excellent cross in from Billy Gibson - but no one was there to get on the end of the delivery.

Villa had their moments too in the opening exchanges, they blasted over the bar after escaping the Watford defence following a great delivery into the box.

Liam Henderson came close to breaking the deadlock within the first 10 minutes but goalkeeper David Bevan saved from close range after the striker held off two men within the area.

The visitors took the lead after 11 minutes when Zoltan Stieber drifted unmarked into the box to fire home after a perfectly weighted cross from the Villa right flank.

It wasn't all one way traffic as the Hornets had chances of their own. Henderson was linking up well with striker partner Marvin Sordell who looked sharp.

Henderson controlled a cross from Louis Lavers on his chest but a last ditch challenge prevented the striker from getting a shot in.

The Golden Boys were unable to find a way past Villa before the break and the youngsters went in one down - it could have been more were it not for a superb timed challenge from centre half Raphael Brown.

Forbes tried his luck after the break with a free kick but was unfortunately always rising over the bar. Then the visitors came back strongly with ex-Hornet Harry Forrester driving wide of North's post.

Stieber nearly added a second when North couldn't hang on to his free kick but luckily for Watford the Welsh international tipped the ball over the bar.

After 68 minutes the Golden Boys were level and Sordell can take all the plaudits for the strike. The striker latched on to a ball over the top, held off his man and struck the ball low past the 'keeper.

Marvin Sordell

The goal stretched the game further with both sides looking for the winner. Villa headed wide from a corner and then Lee Hodson and Michael Bryan combined down the right to deliver a ball to Henderson but his header was saved.

Sordell was now clearly confident after his goal and he tried his luck after an excellent turn in the box and his shot was saved well by Bevan.

At the other end North pulled off a magnificent finger-tip save to deny Forrester.

Then with less than 10 minutes remaining Villa grabbed a controversial winner. A close-range header was deemed over the line after the referee consulted his linesman, despite there being no flag from his assistant the referee allowed the goal to stand. 

Despite protests from the youngsters the goal was given and with time slipping away the Golden Boys could find no way back.

Substitute Matt Whichelow saw his header easily saved after a superb flick on from Henderson and with both teams still pushing on the referee blew the full time whistle.      

WATFORD (4-2-2): North; Hodson, Lavers; Bennett (c), Brown; Jenkins (Mingoia 60), Gibson (Whichelow 60), Forbes, Bryan; Henderson, Sordell. Subs not used: Oshodi, Maxwell, Irving.

Scorers: Sordell (68).

Bookings: Henderson (84).

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