Garry O'Connor

Blues Reserves suffered a 2-0 defeat at home to league leaders Aston Villa at St. Andrew's on Monday evening.

Luke Moore sent Villa into a 1-0 lead just minutes before half time, before Czech international Patrik Berger sealed the victory with a well-taken effort for the visitors on 82 minutes.

Blues striker Garry O'Connor had earlier been unlucky to see his free kick rebound back off the post.

"In the first half we had the better of it," said Academy manager Terry Westley who was taking charge of the team following Keith Bertschin's departure to Wigan.

"They had an experienced team out with the likes of Berger, Harewood, Osbourne, and Moore, but so did we, so it was always going to be a very good reserve team game

"We started off well and were first in the tackles and shading the majority of the possession of the ball.

"We hit the post through Garry O'Connor and had some other good opportunities that their keeper did well with, but it was fairly even at that stage because they had an effort that hit the post as well.

"Their goal came after they won a loose ball in midfield and broke on us as we'd committed men forward and they scored a little bit on the counter attack.

At half time we found ourselves 1-0 down, but we were still right in it.

"The disappointing thing is that we didn't play as well in the second half as we had in the first.

"We conceded possession too quickly and they got more of the ball, so we were chasing it and they were more threatening at the top end.

"We huffed and puffed but we didn't really have any cutting edge to create or make a goal.

"Then late in the half we've found ourselves 2-0 down when Berger broke free from a tackle and hit an unstoppable left footed shot.

"Overall it was a decent first half for us, but not such a good second half and we needed more of a cutting edge to get ourselves a goal."

When asked about any particularly good individual performances, Westley singled out club Captain Damien Johnson.

"When Jonty plays he's a great example to the young players," added Westley.

"He plays properly and in whatever position the manager wants him to play.

"In the previous Reserve game away at Chelsea we were cleaning the dressing room up afterwards and he offered to carry the kit bag back to the bus.

"This is a player that's played for his country and is captain of this football club and he set that tone in the match against Villa."

Full Time: Blues Reserves 0 Villa Reserves 2

Blues: Doyle, Parnaby, Sadler, Tebily, Queudrue, Howland (Gradwell), Johnson, Mutch, O'Connor, Danns, Milojevic(McPike).
Subs not used: Krysiak, Oji, Hall.

Villa: Taylor, Herd, Lund, Hogg (Albrighton), Davies, Lowry, Salifou, Osbourne, Berger, Harewood (Delfouneso), Moore.
Subs not used: Mikaelsson, Bevan, Clark.