Blackpool beat Villa and Vale thrash Man City in Trophy

What the report says

Blackpool and Port Vale were among the winners in Tuesday’s EFL Trophy matches, according to BBC Sport Football. Blackpool recovered from an early deficit to beat Aston Villa’s under-21 side 3-2 at Bloomfield Road, while Port Vale overwhelmed Manchester City’s youngsters 5-0 in a Northern Group D fixture. The round also included Arsenal’s late comeback win at AFC Wimbledon and Shrewsbury Town’s stoppage-time victory over Everton.

At Bloomfield Road, Villa’s academy side led through Fletcher Boyd in the 29th minute, but Blackpool turned the game around with goals from Zac Ashworth, Jerry Yates and Jordan Brown. Markie Meade scored a late reply for Villa. The result left Blackpool second in Northern Group B, while Villa stayed bottom without a point.

Port Vale’s win over City was even more emphatic. Maleace Asamoah opened the scoring before Jaheim Headley, Max Watters, Lewis Montsma and Keyrol Figueroa added to the tally, with four goals arriving in the first 34 minutes. The victory moved Vale to the top of their group with seven points. Manager Jon Brady said his side approached the match with the aim of winning, and BBC Sport also noted the result strengthened Port Vale’s position in the competition.

The wider EFL Trophy programme showed mixed fortunes for Premier League academies, with Arsenal recovering late to beat Wimbledon and Everton losing at Shrewsbury. The group-stage results matter because they shape progression in the competition and highlight how academy teams are faring against senior lower-league opposition.