FA Youth Cup SF 1st leg - Liverpool 2 Southampton 1 (Mar 11 2006)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL U18 2 Southampton U18 1

Report by Dave Usher at Anfield

Scorer(s) - Jack Hobbs, Craig Lindfield Half Time - 2-0 Venue - Anfield Date - Fri 11 Mar 2006 Star Man - Paul Anderson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goals from Jack Hobbs and Craig Lindfield looked to have put the reds well on the road to the final of the FA Youth Cup, but Southampton hit back to ensure it’s all still to play for next week at St Mary’s. Steve Heighway’s side will take a 2-1 lead into the 2nd leg of the semi final next Friday, but will need to improve on their second half showing if they are to reach the final for the first time since 1996.

Having recorded a 6-0 victory in the previous round, it was no surprise that Heighway elected to name an unchanged line up. That meant 15 year old Ben Parsonage retaining his place on the right of midfield, ahead of the more experienced Jimmy Ryan and Paul Barratt.

Paul Anderson, named on the bench for the first team in midweek, started up front with top scorer Craig Lindfield.

Liverpool flew out of the traps and almost blew Southampton away in the opening 20 minutes. The found the net twice, but it could have been even more. The Saints couldn’t get out of their own half in the opening stages, as Anderson, Hammill and Parsonage led them a merry dance down the flanks.

Anderson opened up Southampton as early as the first minute, when he outpaced his marker down the left and sent a cross towards Lindfield who would have had a tap in but for a fine intervention by a defender.

The opening goal came in the fifth minute, when Hammill was tripped on the left wing. He picked himself up, dusted himself off, and floated the ball into the box where Hobbs headed past Saints’ keeper Jones for his first goal as a Liverpool player.

Anderson almost added a second two minutes later when his pace took him clear down the right, but his low shot was saved at the near post by Jones. Southampton had no answer to the former Hull youngster early on, and centre back Thomson was yellow carded for dragging him back when he looked to have a run on goal. There was another defender back covering, but Anderson was favourite to reach the ball and a different ref may have produced a red card.

Liverpool were absolutely rampant at this stage, and after forcing three successive corners, they doubled their advantage on 12 minutes through Lindfield. The striker did well to win an aerial challenge and head the ball out wide to Barnett, and when Charlie drilled in a low cross Lindfield slid the ball home from close range. It was the 17 year old’s sixth goal in his last two and a bit youth cup outings, and he’s really blossoming into a fine goalscorer.

Lindfield’s emergence as the main goal threat for the u18 side is very reminiscent of what the youth cup did for Neil Mellor back in 2001. Mellor wasn’t a regular starter for the academy side (which was an u19 side back then), but the youth cup gave him his opportunity to shine and he took it. At the beginning of the season, Craig was vying with Conal Platt, Michael Nardiello, James Frayne, Jonathon Pringle and Ray Putterill for a place up front for the u18s. Besian Idrizaj provided further competition for the youth cup, but now there is little doubt that Lindfield is the number one striker at the club at u18 level.

Lindfield was a major threat in the first half. As well as his goal, he also hit the side netting, and later saw another deft effort go inches wide after more great play by Anderson.

As the half wore on Southampton began to settle into their stride and twice forced Liverpool keeper Dave Roberts into smart saves. The reds were still on top, but the warning signs were there that the Saints were capable of causing problems, and in the second half they were on top for long periods.

The front two of McGoldrick and Lallana had been anonymous for most of the first half, but after the break they began to pose the reds backline numerous problems. Lallana had an effort deflected into the side netting after 53 minutes, but less than a minute later his strike partner found the back of the net after a rare error from Godwin Antwi.

The Ghanaian defender has been a revelation this season, but he looked ill at ease in the second half of this game. It was his failure to cut out a through ball which allowed McGoldrick to score, and minutes later he was turned in the box by Lallana, who would have drawn his side level but for a great save by the dependable Dave Roberts.

Southampton had the young reds under the cosh, and they were creating numerous openings against the normally rock solid Liverpool defence. Right winger De Carvalho should have made it 2-2 after 57 minutes but he headed wide from close range.

The reds seemed to have weathered the worst of the storm, but ten minutes from time Southampton were within a lick of paint of claiming what they would argue would have been a well earned draw, when Dutton-Black curled a superb shot over Roberts and against the inside of the post. The ball rolled across the goal-line, but thankfully stayed out.

The reds rallied late on and Hammill had a penalty claim waved away, and also saw a curling effort deflected narrowly wide. Hammill and Anderson always looked capable of creating something, and substitute Ryan – brought on for Parsonage with 20 minutes to go – made a good contribution on the right and must be in contention for a starting place next week.

Picking the star man was difficult. Hobbs was solid in defence and even managed a goal, Darby was as reliable as ever, Barnett worked hard in midfield and Anderson and Hammill both had plenty of good moments. I’m going to give it to Anderson because his pace and enthusiasm gave Southampton a lot of difficulties. He just edges out Hammill, and it’s those two who could hold the key to what happens next week.

Southampton will have to go on the attack, and Hammill and Anderson are ideally suited to playing on the break. Liverpool are slight favourites to go through, but Southampton are dangerous opponents and the reds will have to play well next week to progress to the a two legged final against either Newcastle or Man City.


Team: Roberts; Darby, Hobbs, Antwi, Threlfall; Parsonage (Ryan), Barnett, Flynn, Hammill; Anderson, Lindfield (Nardiello):