Liverpool u18 5 West Brom u18 0 (Dec 15 2007)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL U18 5 West Brom U18 0

Report by Dave Usher at the Academy

Scorer(s) - Nathan Eccleston (3), Marvin Pourie, Michael Collins Half Time - 1-0 Venue - Liverpool Academy, Kirkby Date - Sat 17 Dec 2007 Star Man - Sean Highdale

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nathan Eccleston took his season’s tally to 15 goals with a second half hat-trick as Liverpool’s u18 side recorded their second 5-0 win in four days, as West Brom were trounced at the Academy on Saturday morning. Marvin Pourie had opened the scoring midway through the first half, and substitute Michael Collins scored the goal of the game with a wonderfully taken effort.

Hughie McAuley fielded nine of the side that had beaten Wycombe in the youth cup on Wednesday night, with the only changes being Martin Hansen coming in for Dean Bouzanis in goal, and u16 defender Scott Wooton replacing Martin Kelly at centre half.

Liverpool started quickly, and Pourie hit the bar after 12 minutes following good work from the excellent Sean Highdale. Pourie had a decent first half, putting himself about and giving the young Baggies’ defence plenty to think about. He created an excellent opening for strike partner Eccleston when he broke clear on the right, cut into the box and squared the ball to him, but Eccleston took his eye off the ball and allowed it to roll under his foot and the chance was gone.

West Brom wasted a decent opportunity when the centre forward got in behind the reds’ defence but dragged his shot wide. They had a lot of pace in their side, and created a few good opportunities during the game, but maybe finishing isn’t their strong point.

Pourie made them pay for their wastefulness just before the half hour, but the goal owed everything to the dazzling wingplay of Gary McKay-Steven. The young Scot collected possession in his own half, hemmed in on the touchline. A quick drop of the shoulder and change of direction got him away from the first defender, and he took off down the line, drawing another couple of defenders to him before delivering a pinpoint cross to the feet of Pourie. The German striker’s first touch was perfect, taking the ball out of his feet and past his marker, before he finished with a crisp shot.

Eccleston went close to adding a second ten minutes later, when the tigerish Highdale won the ball in midfield, and then flew into a crunching challenge to win it again. The ball fell nicely to Eccleston, who carried it into the box before shooting left footed across the keeper, who made a good save.

West Brom’s centre forward had another decent chance shortly before the break, when the ball broke nicely for him in the box. He got his shot away but it was immediately charged down by Joe Kennedy.

Pourie had a couple of opportunities to grab a second goal in the last minute of the half. First he sliced a shot wide following some excellent set up play from McKay-Steven and Highdale, and then he headed just over following a left wing free-kick by Highdale.

I’d been impressed with McKay-Steven in the first half, this was the first time I’d seen him play and he looks a good player. He could have been involved a bit more, but he showed some excellent skill and dribbling ability when the opportunity arose. So it was surprising that he didn’t come out for the second half. Presumably he was injured.

His replacement, Alex Kacaniklic, was even more impressive. He got into the game immediately, and in the first five minutes of the half he’d made several excellent runs to the byline. It’s not going to be easy for McAuley to choose between these two, as they both look like exciting prospects.

Kacaniklic created the second goal for Eccleston ten minutes after the break, when he tricked his way to the byline and cut the ball back perfectly into the striker’s path, and he coolly directed his shot into the corner of the net. Eccleston had done nothing up to this point, he’d not got into the game at all and hadn’t shown any of his usual impressive play.

Even so, I didn’t think there was any doubt he’d get on the scoresheet. He is scoring virtually every game these days, and it wasn’t long before he had his second. Once again, Kacaniklic was the creator, running forward from halfway and carrying the ball into the box before sliding the ball across to Eccleston who was left with a simple finish.

I thought he looked well offside, but the linesman was happy enough and the goal stood. Maybe he realised after that he’d made a mistake, because he chalked off two more goals for Eccleston that looked fine to me.

The visitor’s centre forward had yet another chance almost immediately after the reds had made it 3-0, when he got in behind Kennedy but saw his shot come back off the post. It was their second good opportunity of the half, as shortly before that they’d got in down the other side but were denied by a combination of Hansen and some desperate defending.

Overall, Liverpool’s defence played well, but the pace of the visitors did create a fair few decent openings that they didn’t take. Liverpool were much more clinical, but not only that, they really stepped up their game in the second half and completely dominated possession.

Ajdarevic had been quiet in the first half, but bossed the game after the break and showed some fabulous skills. They couldn’t get the ball off him, as he produced an array of shimmies, dragbacks, pirouettes, the lot. Pourie could have had a second goal after some brilliant play from Ajdarevic and Shane O’Connor down the left created the opening, but Marvin’s well struck volley skimmed a defender and went just wide.

McAuley sent on Michael Collins for David Amoo, and Michael Scott for Pourie, and Collins wasted no time in making his mark with a stunning goal. Ajdarevic picked him out on the right with a raking crossfield ball, and the Irish striker produced a wonderful first touch with the outside of his left foot that took him past the full back and in on goal. He set himself before stroking the ball past the keeper into the far corener. It was such a simple goal, but such a fantastic one to watch.

Collins was having a lot of joy on the right flank cutting in onto his left foot, and chances kept coming his way. He had a shot deflected wide following a brilliant run and cross from the tireless O’Connor, and he was denied by the keeper after playing a fine 1-2 with Scott.

Collins did have the ball in the net again not long after, when Ajdarevic blasted a shot goalwards that the keeper could only parry into the air. The ball looked to be going in, but Collins made sure by heading it into the net. The linesman’s flag curtailed his celebrations however.

Eccleston completed his hat-trick near the end with a cool finish after being fed by Highdale, who had broke forward from inside his own half after winning possession. It looked like he had bagged a fourth goal in stoppage time, and he wasn’t happy with the linesman when he saw the flag. I thought he was onside too, and it was a shame it was disallowed as the part played by Ajdarevic deserved a goal.

He showed some unbelievable footwork to hold onto the ball under pressure and somehow create space for a shot that was saved at full stretch by the keeper, but Eccleston pounced on the rebound and slid the ball in from a tight angle.

It sounds silly to say it, but aside from the three goals he scored and the two he had disallowed, I can’t remember Eccleston doing much else in the game! He’s usually a lot more involved in the build up play than he was today, but if he can bag a hat-trick on an off day, then he’s some prospect.

Usually if someone gets a hat-trick they’d undoubtedly be the star man, but over the ninety minutes I think there were others more deserving. Ajdarevic was brilliant in the second half, and Collins really did well after coming on. Kacaniklic was really good too, but for me it was between O’Connor and Highdale.

O’Connor defended well and bombed forward to great effect, but I’m going for Highdale as from start to finish he was involved in almost everything. It was a fine team performance though, especially after the break when they really stepped up a gear.

Team: Hansen; Irwin, Kennedy, Wooton, O’Connor; Amoo (Collins), Highdale, Ajdarevic, McKay-Steven (Kacaniklic); Pourie (Scott), Eccleston: