When Aston Villa's U21s look dorsum on this season they tin concord their heads loftier.

Falling at the final hurdle was not in the script but neither was such a adamant Arsenal brandish.

Over the grade of the season Villa's vibrant development side have come on leaps and premises. A win here at the Emirates Stadium would have wrapped upwardly the season nicely and sent the young Lions roaring into the summer with something to testify from a fine entrada.

It wasn't to be, though.

Arsenal, the runners-up afterward a 22-game flavour were too good for fourth-placed Villa in the Division 2 play-off concluding and they now progress to the peak-tier.

The dwelling house reward helped, then did the presence of a 31-year-old ringer aka Santi Cazorla and midfield enforcer Francis Coquelin.

Rushian Hepburn Murphy of Aston Villa celebrates his goal during the Barclays U21 Premier League Division Play-Off Final match with Arsenal

Rushian Hepburn Murphy of Aston Villa celebrates his goal during the Barclays U21 Premier League Division Play-Off Final lucifer with Arsenal

Joel Campbell and Calum Chambers likewise started for the hosts in what was a stiff and experienced line-upwards just it was hotshot Chris Willock who acquired the most damage.

Rushian Hepburn-Irish potato had given Villa hope early in the game with the opening goal but Willock equalised and so played a part in Stephy Mavididi's brace.

For some of Villa's players they might well have pulled on the society jersey for the concluding fourth dimension but they tin can bow out with pride.

But for the seniors in this Gunners side, things might well accept been different.

Arsenal didn't break any rules as teams can name iii outfield players over the age of 21, just Villa felt hard done-by when Cazorla, 31, Coquelin, 24 and Campbell, 23, started to thrive.

Their Premier League experience was effectively the divergence every bit Villa had only i elevation-flight start between their whole starting XI.

Rushian Hepburn Murphy of Aston Villa celebrates his goal during the Barclays U21 Premier League Division Play-Off Final match with Arsenal

Rushian Hepburn Murphy of Aston Villa celebrates his goal during the Barclays U21 Premier League Sectionalization Play-Off Concluding match with Arsenal

That said they were vivid and busy in the opening exchanges and took the lead through the impressive Hepburn-Murphy.

The No.9 had fired a volley over the crossbar early on merely he was clinical with a powerful header from Andre Green's cantankerous that gave Matt Macey no adventure in the tenth minute.

Every bit the game wore on it was Arsenal's seniors who soon started to striking top gear.

Cazorla pulled the strings and played a part in the equaliser every bit he teased Jordan Lyden in the middle before laying it off to Coquelin.

A perfectly-weighted pass from the Frenchman constitute Mavididi and he crossed for Willock who put the finishing touch after getting the ameliorate of Josh Webb.

Niall Mason kept the scores down with a number of fundamental interventions in the middle of defence and Matija Sarkic saved superbly from Cazorla and Campbell before Arsenal stepped it up subsequently the suspension.

Cazorla danced his way by four Villa defenders and then missed the target by a matter of inches but a goal was never far away.

Rushian Hepburn Murphy of Aston Villa celebrates his goal during the Barclays U21 Premier League Division Play-Off Final match with Arsenal

Rushian Hepburn Murphy of Aston Villa celebrates his goal during the Barclays U21 Premier League Sectionalization Play-Off Final match with Arsenal

Willock was the chief orchestrator when he rounded Easah Suliman with ease and crossed into the box for Mavididi who headed past Sarkic.

Villa pushed and probed only were restricted largely to long-range efforts and late on Mavididi added a 3rd to wrap up the win.

Around 100 Villa fans made the trip downwards from Birmingham and cheered their side throughout only there was to be no celebration at the end.

Teams:

Arsenal (4-3-3) Macey, Pleguezuelo, Moore, Bielki, Chambers, Coquelin, Cazorla (Sheaf, 83), Willock, Campbell (Hinds, 83), Mavididi, Reine-Adelaide. Subs: Keto, Johnson.

Villa (4-4-two) Sarkic, Webb, Suliman, Mason, Kinsella, Hale (Doyle-Hayes, 70). Lyden, Greenish (Blackett-Taylor, 60) Sellars, Davis (O'Hare, 65), Hepburn-Spud. Subs: Johansson, Leggett,

STAR Man - Hepburn-Murphy

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