Aston Villa Under 23s gear up for crucial play-off battle

After a heroic victory over Reading in the semi-final of the Premier League 2 Division 2 play-off semi-final, Aston Villa’s U23 side have one final test before promotion to the upper tier of England’s reserve league is realised.

They face Brighton and Hove Albion in a home fixture at Villa Park in a single legged match, in which 90 minutes will be the decider in regards to who is promoted, and who remains in the lower tier.

The final will take place at 12pm UK time this Saturday (the same date as AVFC’s first-team play-off semi-final against Middlesbrough) and fans in the area can attend for free if they have a season ticket, or spare change (£4) if they don’t. Some will be a bit annoyed at the timing of the final, but according to Villa, this could not be helped.

Villa will be heading into the final on the back of a spectacular penalty shoot-out victory over Swansea City in the Premier League Cup final last week. The victory rightly brought jubilant celebrations, led by an ecstatic Callum O’Hare and an overjoyed Rushian Hepburn-Murphy. Take a look:

More of the same, please!