Norwich City U18s 1, Aston Villa U18s 1: City's Academy side came from a goal behind against Aston Villa at Colney today to take a share of the points.

Norwich City U18s 1, Aston Villa U18s 1

City's Academy side came from a goal behind against Aston Villa at Colney today to take a share of the points.

But they had to wait until two minutes before full-time to get back on level terms, and it was thanks to two U16 substitutes that they kept their impressive start to the season going.

Ricky Martin was without the services of Korey Smith, who has been called up for match day experience with Glenn Roeder's squad for today's first team game against Sheffield United at Carrow Road, while Josh Dawkin and Dario Dumic are on U17 international duty for Wales and Denmark.

Damon Lathrope was the first to put the visitors' keeper to the test with a shot that Thomas Dau turned round for a corner from which Kenny Reeves sent a header wide of the target.

Then Reeves got his header from a George Francomb cross on target but Dau made a comfortable save. At the other end James Collins pulled a shot wide before Canaries' keeper Declan Rudd pulled off a good save to deny Andreas Weimann.

As the first half drew to a close good work from David Cooper saw an effort from Johnbull Omoregie but again Dau was on hand to make the save.

It took the visitors just 12 minutes into the second half to break the deadlock when the city defence were caught napping allowing COLLINS to beat Rudd with a shot from the edge of the area.

On the hour mark Martin made his first substitution, introducing Richard Brindley who came on last week at Birmingham as a substitute but lasted only 15 minutes before he was dismissed for a second yellow card.

City stepped their game up as the minutes ticked away and they should have done better with headers from Reeves and Luke Daley that produced comfortable saves from Dau.

The breakthrough came on 88 minutes when substitute Matthew Ball, making his debut at U18 level, sent in a cross that BRINDLEY controlled before firing a stunning shot beyond the reach of Dau.

After the disappointment of his dismissal seven days earlier, Brindley hit back the best way possible to secure the Canaries a well-deserved share of the points.

t Norwich City MoM: Luke Daley.

t Norwich City: Rudd, Francomb, Cooper, Adeyemi, Stephens, Habergham (Brindley 60), Omoregie (Ball 82), Lathrope, Reeves, Kelly, Daley. Subs not used: Grieveson, Cutaja.

t Aston Villa: Dau, Love, Flanagan, S Simmonds, Clark, Blythe (Grocott 45), Bannan, Forrester (Berry 84), Collins, Weimann, Hofbauer (R Simmonds 80). Subs not used: Dyer, Lampkin.