Boro’s Under-23s made it back-to-back away wins with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on Monday afternoon.
A brace from Calum Kavanagh did the damage and secured what was a first PL2 victory since November for our development side.
Fresh from a 5-0 Premier League Cup win over QPR last week, Mark Tinkler’s team started the game with a spring in their step. Isaac Fletcher - who netted a brace against the Rs - had the game’s first clear cut chance on the 20-minute mark, Connor Malley threading a pass through to him on the right of Villa’s area and setting up a shot from a tight angle which was saved well by Filip Marshall.
Boro’s youngsters didn’t have to wait too long for another opportunity. Villa failed to clear their lines following Fletcher’s shot, and after Boro stole back possession, Jack Stott was tripped up to the left of the penalty box with the referee showing no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Up stepped Kavanagh, who drilled the penalty low and down the middle of the goal, under Marshall and into the net.
The Teessiders could have added to the tally soon after, Stott dragging an effort across goal and wide after being well found by Fletcher.
Having had little to offer in the first half hour, Villa ended the first half in the ascendancy in pursuit of an equaliser. A deep corner created the first significant moment of danger for Boro’s defence, delivered all the way through to defender Sil Swinkels around the back who could only divert onto the post.
Before the break, one-time Barcelona youth player Louie Barry tested Oliver Swann at the end of a quick counter-attack, but the Boro keeper was equal to his and a follow-up effort from the hosts.
Boro started the second half back on the front foot, and Kavanagh had a glorious chance to double the advantage just before the hour. It was an opening of his own making, robbing opposing defender Josh Feeney on the edge of the Villa man’s area before lashing for goal - goalkeeper Marshall getting fingertips on it to push it around the post.
Minutes later, Kavanagh came close once more - again after Boro won the ball high up the field - but as he strode through one-on-one and tried to bend his shot into the bottom corner, Marshall was once more his nemesis as he glanced the ball wide at full stretch.
From the resulting corner, Kavanagh did have the ball in the net, sweeping home Isaac Fletcher’s low cross-shot from inside the six-yard box, but this time the linesman’s flag went up for offside.
The young striker had the last laugh though, finally finding his mark with 66 on the clock. Fletcher was the provider again with a pass from the left that beat Villa’s offside trap, allowing Kavanagh to drive through on goal before rounding Marshall and prodding home.
There was to be a consolation for the hosts, Finley Thorndike beating Swann with a left-footed strike from distance, but as the minutes ticked by the Boro keeper made a smart stop from Hayden Lindley’s free-kick to preserve the lead.
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