U21s: Villa 0 United 2

blasting past Barrett for his eighth of the campaign, continuing a good run of goalscoring form in his career against the Villans.

The result means Joyce and his squad can look forward to competing at the highest level of second-tier football after the turn of the year with a Lancashire Senior Cup tie against Morecambe still to come in 2012.

United: Sutherland; Vermijl, Thorpe, Wootton, Büttner (McGinty 46); Bebe (Fornasier 84), Tunnicliffe, Powell (Veseli 90), Petrucci, Cole; Macheda. Subs not used: Gollini, Lawrence.

More: Under-21 fixtures and results | United 0 Aston Villa 1