Everton u18 0 Liverpool u18 0 (Oct 7 2006)

[TLW]

Everton u18 0 LIVERPOOL U18 0

Report by Dave Usher at the Everton Academy

Scorer(s) - Half Time - 0-0 Venue - Everton Academy, Netherton Date - Sat 7 Oct 2006 Star Man - Jay Spearing

 

 

 

 

 

 

The reds’ u18 side will be wondering how they still haven’t won a game this season, after they spurned a host of good chances to let Everton off the hook in a one sided clash at the Blues Academy in Netherton. Liverpool were the better side throughout, and keeper David Roberts had little to do, but scoring goals has been a big problem for John Owens’ side this season, and so it proved once more.

Owens has seen his squad weakened considerably this season through the absence of the Melwood based players, and he was once more forced to do without them for this game. Threlfall, Darby and Flynn had all played the previous night for the reserves in a friendly at Glasgow Rangers, with Flynn getting on the scoresheet in a 2-0 success. Lindfield was also unavailable for the game at Everton, as he was on international duty with England u19s.

The reds lined up with Dave Roberts in goal, and a back four of Stephen Behan, Jay Spearing, Laurence Gaughan and Michael Burns. The midfield was Ben Parsonage and Paul Barratt on the flanks, with Ryan Wignall and Charlie Barnett in the centre. Jonathon Pringle and Ray Putterill were up front.

Pringle had the game’s first sight of goal when he ran onto a huge clearance by Roberts. The ball was carried on the wind and Pringle got in behind the defence but was foiled bravely by the blues’ keeper on the edge of the box.

A minute later it was Everton’s turn to threaten. The highly rated John-Paul Kissock played the ball between Spearing and Behan for one of his strikers to run onto, but the finish was wild and went high over Roberts’ crossbar.

That was to be Kissock’s last meaningful involvement of the game, as he was stretchered off in tears following a thunderous challenge by Charlie Barnett. It was completely fair, and no blame can be attached to the reds’ midfielder. Both players went in for a block challenge, but Barnett was strongest and Kissock’s knee seemed to buckle.

Everton’s main attacking threat was now gone, and following Kissock’s departure they failed to create a single decent opening. That was largely due to some outstanding defending by the reds’ back four. This was typified after 19 minutes when it looked like the centre forward was about to have a clear run on goal, only for him to be stopped in his tracks by a great challenge by Burns who had got across from left back to cover.

Up until this point there had been little to choose between the sides, but gradually the reds’ began to get the ball down and play their football, with Barnett and Wignall controlling the middle of the park and Barratt proving to be a good outlet on the left.

Putterill had a good chance on 25 minutes when Parsonage cleverly chested the ball into his path, but the striker hesitated and when he eventually opted to shoot, it was blocked by a defender.

A minute later came the best chance of the half. Pringle beat the offside trap down the inside right channel, and cut the ball back to Barratt who volleyed over from eight yards.

Liverpool continued to dominate possession, and worked some good situations out wide. When the crosses came in though, the keeper and defence usually dealt with them comfortably. It wasn’t so much that they were poor crosses, but Putterill and Pringle aren’t the biggest so any ball in would have to perfect for them to have a chance.

The half an hour period either side of half time was pretty uneventful, and it wasn’t until the hour mark that there was any threat to either goal. Everton swung over a cross from the right to the back post, and it seemed certain that the striker would have a tap in, but Spearing did fantastically to get a touch on the ball and avert the danger.

Three minutes later the reds’ should have taken the lead. Barratt did well on the left for the umpteenth time, and this time his cross found the head of Putterill six yards from goal, but he headed wide.

Next up it was Barnett’s turn to go close, when he skipped away from a tackle 25 yards out and drilled a low shot inches wide with the keeper scrambling across his goal. A minute later, Owens made a triple substitution. Off went Parsonage and Pringle, as well as the injured Laurence Gaughan, and they were replaced by Michael Collins, Shane O’Connor and Mattone Awang.

The loss of Gaughan was a blow, as he had been playing very well and is by far and away the tallest player the reds have. His departure meant a reshuffle at the back, with Burns moving inside to centre back and Barratt dropping into left back. That concerned me, as Barratt isn’t a defender, and Burns and Spearing offered no height in the centre of defence.

The lads coped superbly though. Burns continued to defend stoutly, Spearing was flawless and Barratt didn’t need to defend as he spent the rest of the game rampaging forward. He went close to scoring too, as his 30 yard piledriver was well saved by the keeper.

In the last ten minutes the reds were all over Everton. I really sensed a goal was coming, as the pressure on the Everton goal was mounting. Collins and O’Connor had given the attack added impetus, and the left flank was proving to be very profitable with Barratt bombing forward to support O’Connor.

Liverpool should have won the game in the final minute with a superb counter attack. Roberts bowled the ball out to Putterill on the right and he ran the length of the field before cutting inside, drawing the last defender and rolling the ball into the path of Collins ten yards out. It was exactly a tap in, as the keeper still had to beaten and the ball needed to be struck first time, but Collins will be disappointed to have put the ball over the bar.

That’s how it’s going for Owens’ side at the moment. They need to catch a break from somewhere, and when they do results will surely improve. They should have won this game, but not for the first time they didn’t get what they deserved. The lack of goals is the main problem, but if they can start to convert some of the chances they are creating then that first win won’t be long in coming.

Spearing was the star man for me, as he was excellent in defence and was also trying to carry the ball forward and get his team on the attack. A real captain’s performance from Jay, and he just edges out the tenacious Michael Burns who did some sterling work in defence.

* It's doubtful that we will have any photographs from any Academy games this season, as Liverpool's Academy have now banned anyone from taking photographs, as have Everton.

Team: Roberts; Behan, Spearing, Gaughan (Mattone), Burns; Parsonage (O’Connor), Barnett, Wignall, Barratt; Putterill, Pringle (Collins):