Blackpool secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Aston Villa’s Under-21 side, while Port Vale delivered a stunning 5-0 thrashing to Manchester City in Tuesday’s EFL Trophy fixtures. Several Premier League academy teams faced difficult matches across the tournament, with Arsenal mounting a late comeback to avoid an upset against AFC Wimbledon.
At Bloomfield Road, Blackpool overturned an early deficit after Fletcher Boyd put the visitors ahead in the 29th minute. Zac Ashworth equalised before Jerry Yates and Jordan Brown added further goals to secure the points, despite a late stoppage-time strike from Markie Meade. Meanwhile, Port Vale dominated Manchester City’s youngsters, netting four times in the opening 34 minutes through goals from Maleace Asamoah, Jaheim Headley, Max Watters, Lewis Montsma, and Keyrol Figueroa to claim the top spot in Northern Group D.
Match Night Highlights
- Blackpool overcame Aston Villa 3-2 with goals from Zac Ashworth, Jerry Yates, and Jordan Brown at Bloomfield Road.
- Port Vale cruised to a 5-0 victory against Manchester City’s Under-21 side to lead Northern Group D with seven points.
- Arsenal staged a late comeback to defeat AFC Wimbledon 2-1 thanks to goals from Evan Mooney and Emerson Nwaneri.
- Shrewsbury Town edged past Everton 2-1 courtesy of a stoppage-time winner scored by Jeval Thompson-McKenzie.
Tournament Standings and Impact
The latest round of matches has significantly altered group standings across both northern and southern sections of the competition. Port Vale manager Jon Brady expressed delight with his side’s professional approach after fielding a strong team to dominate Manchester City. The commanding win lifts Vale to the summit of their group as they continue their strong campaign in the regional stages.
Elsewhere, Arsenal’s resilient 2-1 triumph over League One opposition at Wimbledon propelled the Gunners youngsters to the top of Southern Group F with six points. Conversely, Everton continue to struggle in Northern Group E, remaining without a point after conceding a late goal to Shrewsbury Town. Premier League academy sides will need to regroup quickly as the group stage battles approach their crucial closing fixtures.
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