Liverpool u18 5 West Brom u18 3 (Jan 7 2006)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL U18 5 West Brom U18 3

Report by Dave Usher at the Academy

Scorer(s) - Charlie Barnett, Paul Barratt, Stephen Darby, James Frayne, Conal Platt Half Time - 4-3 Venue - The Academy Date - Sat 7 Jan 2006 Star Man - James Frayne

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liverpool u18’s returned to action in some style following the winter break, with a 5-3 victory over West Brom in a pulsating game at the Academy. Seven of the goals came in an amazing first half which saw numerous other chances wasted from both sides as the game swung from end to end.

I arrived at the Academy just in time to see Charlie Barnett open the scoring on five minutes. I was late because as I lay in my nice warm bed, the prospect of getting up to go down to the freezing cold Academy just didn’t seem very appealing for some reason. The game was due to kick off at eleven, and by half ten I was still in my pit.

In the end, guilt got the better of me so I got up, had a quick wash and jumped a taxi up to Kirkby. The things I do for you lot!

Thank God I did go, as this was possibly the best game I’ve seen at the Academy since I first started going there in 2000. The generosity of both defences was the main reason for that, although there was also a lot of excellent attacking play to savour as well.

Barnett’s goal was a shot from the edge of the box which went in with the aid of a deflection. As I made my way towards pitchside, I saw him hit the shot but my view of the goal was obscured so I didn’t see it hit the net. The applause from those present and the sight of players rushing forward to congratulate him told me it went in.

Charlie was playing in the centre of midfield in this game, due to Jimmy Ryan being ruled out by the flu virus which had swept through the camp in the last couple of weeks. Jimmy was fit enough to be on the bench however.

Adam Hammill and Paul Barratt were on the flanks, whilst in defence there was a welcome return for Robbie Threlfall after a long lay off with a knee injury. Conal Platt and James Frayne started up front.

Barnett’s goal capped a great start by the reds (so I was told!) in which Hammill had laid down a marker early by turning his marker inside out to create a chance for Platt, who shot over. Hammill once again continued to delight and infuriate in equal measures. There’s shades of McManaman about him in the way he can glide away from defenders only to then play a disappointing ball. He had a good game overall however, and gave West Brom’s full backs plenty of problems.

West Brom looked a decent side to be fair, although there was an element of good fortune about their equaliser just two minutes after Barnett’s strike. Centre half Jeff Forsyth headed goalwards from a corner, and although Dave Roberts had a comfortable save, he didn’t hold onto the ball and when he tried to gather it a defender was in his way and Forsyth gleefully turned the ball in from close range.

Hammill then went close for the reds when he shot just wide after an impressive run took him away from a couple of Baggies defenders. Next up it was the turn of left back Stephen Darby to try his luck, with a dipping half volley from 25 yards which went just over the bar.

Liverpool were pressing hard for another goal, but were caught cold by a straight ball through their square backline. Stuart Nicholson raced clear as Roberts hesitated, and he beat the reds’ keeper with a tidy finish. Nicholson looked a real handful and I overheard a guy saying that Alex Ferguson has been after him for six months. On this evidence it’s not hard to see why, he was a real menace to the reds in the first half.

The visitors didn’t have too much time to savour being in the lead though, as a minute later the reds were level. Pass after pass saw the ball switched from one side to the other and then back again, before Barratt was played in and just about toe poked the ball past the keeper before doing well to adjust his feet to put the ball into the empty net under pressure from a defender.

The game continued to swing from end to end, and the reds defence never really looked comfortable throughout the first half. West Brom were getting a lot of joy in between Jordan Holmes and Callum Woods, but fortunately they were often getting caught offside.

Frayne went close with a 25 yard drive which fizzed over the bar, but the reds next goal would arrive from the most unlikely source. Barnett sent over a corner from the left wing, and Darby rose highest to glance a header into the far corner. The look of shock on his face said it all. ‘Darbs’ is the Rob Jones of the side, so needless to say he enjoyed the moment.

That goal came on the half hour mark, and made the score 3-2. The Baggies could have hit back instantly when danger man Nicholson looked to have gone through again, but Threlfall made a superb saving intervention to clear the danger.

It was to prove very significant, as two minutes after that Liverpool made it 4-2. An attempted ball over the top to Frayne was only half cut out by the defender, which sent the ball looping up into the air. An opportunity was there for Frayne if his first touch was good enough, and it was. He took the ball into his stride and set off towards goal, but still had a lot to do. For a start, the angle was going to be tough, and to make it more difficult he was on his weaker foot. He made it look easy though as he drilled a left foot shot across the keeper right into the bottom corner. A brilliant goal.

Liverpool were playing some very good stuff and looked like scoring with every attack, but the back door was always open too and within two minutes of Frayne’s strike the lead was reduced to just a single goal again. Albion attacked down the reds’ right once more, and when the ball found Nicholson the forward didn’t break stride before hammering a half volley past Roberts from 14 yards. A stunning strike to be fair, and he can’t be too far away from their first team.

Mind you, with such talented forwards as Kevin Campbell and Geoff Horsfield ahead of him he may have to bide his time for a while

So 4-3 then, but still the game showed no sign of settling down. Within two minutes Conal Platt had almost extended the reds lead once more. A well worked attack saw the ball come to Barnett on the right, and his wickedly delivered cross saw Platt get in front of his marker to prod the ball goalwards on the volley. It was a fine effort, but straight at the keeper.

Two minutes later the keeper was called into action again, as Frayne burst through one on one. The keeper got something on Frayne’s shot, but the ball still lopped goalwards only to hit the bar and rebound to safety.

Then with just three minutes remaining in the half Albion should have pulled another back through Rob Elvins. Nicholson got away down the left flank and crossed for his strike partner, but Elvins couldn’t keep his shot down and it flew over the bar.

So 4-3 at half time, but it could have been a lot more and was an amazing half of football. The reds were out early, but there was no sign of the match officials. Hammill kept us entertained with his vast array of tricks and flicks, and when the officials eventually came out for the second half he had a go at the linesman accusing of him of being on the ale at half time. He gestured to those of us on the line that he could smell it on his breath. It was pretty funny, and the lino took it in good fun.

John Owens made a change at half time, withdrawing captain Callum Woods and sending on left back Stephen Behan. Woods had struggled, and presumably he was struggling with some sort of injury (or perhaps the effects of flu) as he’s usually very solid.

The change helped, as the second half saw the reds become a much tighter defensive unit. The ever reliable Stephen Darby switched to centre back, and he and Threlfall dealt with Elvins and Nicholson much better after the break, although Nicholson did have two early efforts immediately after half time, one which hit the side netting and other which was saved by Roberts.

Understandably, the second half struggled to live up to the first in terms of goals, but the game never dropped into a lull and was lively throughout. Albion had a decent chance to equalise after 52 minutes when a cross from the right eluded everybody and found Ben Pringle on the back post, but instead of heading it first time, he brought it down on his chest which allowed the reds defence to close him down and force his into shooting over the bar.

Liverpool could have been awarded a penalty just before the hour mark, when Platt’s incisive pass sent Frayne clear. The pacey forward went past the last defender and had his heels clipped, but he stayed on his feet. It knocked him out of his stride though and he was unable to make anything of the opening as he never fully recovered his balance. If he’d gone down it wqas a stonewall pen, and you could even make a case for giving it anyway. If there’s no reward for staying on your feet, then why do it?

Owens made another change on 64 minutes, sending on Francis Smith for Paul Barratt. Smith is set to join Hearts, if they ever get round to finalising the deal that is. Smith’s arrival in the middle of midfield saw Barnett moving out to the right wing, and thew switch paid instant dividends.

Conal Platt turned well on halfway, and fed the ball down the right to Barnett. Charlie whipped in a terrific ball and Platt had arrived at the perfect time to finish from close range. The goal was no more than Conal deserved as he was in superb form in the second half.

Smith then forced a save from the keeper which a 25 yard drive, and then Platt saw a spectacular overhead shot go just wide after a mazy run and cut back from Hammill down the left.

With five minutes to go Smith shot just wide from a 30 yard free kick, and seconds later Owens made his third change, bringing on Ryan for Hammill.

The final chance of the game fell to the visitors, when Nicholson again managed to get in behind the defence only to be denied by the feet of Roberts.

Overall it was a very good performance, but some of the defending in the first half won’t have pleased John Owens. Despite the three goals conceded, Darby was excellent as always, and Threlfall enjoyed a good comeback.

Hammill was very lively when he had the ball, and Barnett was very good too. Frayne scored an excellent goal, could have had more and worked really hard. The star man award was between him and his strike partner Platt, who was very, very good in the second half. Frayney just shades it for me.


Team: Roberts; Holmes, Woods (Behan), Threlfall, Darby; Barratt (Smith), Flynn, Barnett, Hammill (Ryan); Platt, Frayne: