Liverpool u19 2 Wolves u19 4 (Dec 16 2000)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL U19 2 Wolves U19 4

Report by Dave Usher at the Academy

Scorer(s) - Jamie Olsen, Brian McIlroy Half Time - 0-3 Venue - The Academy Date - Sat 16 Dec 2000 Star Man - Peter Cavanagh

 

 

 

 

 

To use the old cliché, this was indeed a game of two halves. The first half saw the reds struggle to string more than two passes together, and at the other end, every Wolves attack looked likely to end in a goal, and usually did.

The first half ended with Wolves 3-0 up, and although on the balance of play that was probably a bit harsh, the reds were clearly second best.
Hughie McAuley rested John Welsh - who had starred for the youth team in the 7-1 rout of Chelsea three days before - but was able to recall Chris O'Brien to the side after an absence of three or four weeks through injury.

'Obie' has been playing at the back for most of the season, but with Welsh only on the bench, he reverted to his more natural central midfield role alongside the hardworking Jamie Olsen.

Brian McIlroy, fresh from his two goals at Stamford Bridge in the youth cup, was given a rare chance in his preferred forward role, with Chris Thompson lining up on the right wing as opposed to up front with Armstrong.

Thompson was the reds most effective attacker in the first half, although that wasn't saying too much. Tommo wasn't in the game much, as he was starved of possession, but whenever he had the ball he looked lively, and he went close to opening the scoring with a powerful low shot which went just wide following good work by Armstrong.

Tommo returned the favour when he cut inside onto his left foot and delivered a wonderful cross onto the head of 'Army', but his flicked header narrowly sailed over the bar. That was as good as it got for the reds in the opening half, as Wolves cut through the reds normally solid rearguard.

First, their striker got away from Otsemobor in the inside right channel before sliding a ball across the six yard box which gave his co striker a tap in, and then Warnock was skinned out wide with the same result. The third goal arrived in exactly the same manner, and this was a game that Otsemobor and Warnock will want to forget, as all four Wolves goals arrived down their side of the field. Warnock also picked up his now customary yellow card, this time for dissent, after asking the ref 'are you fucking blind?'

The reds came out for the second half a different side altogether, with Welsh introduced at the expense of the hard working, but ineffective Steve Torpey. With Peter Cavanagh setting a captains example, constantly encouraging his teammates as well as marauding forward from right back to great effect, and Welsh taking a grip of the midfield, suddenly they looked much more potent in attack.

A great move down the right hand side involving Welsh, Cavanagh and Thompson, was finished in style when Welsh crossed to the far post for Jamie Olsen to rise well and head over the despairing keeper. At this point the reds were flying, but the wind was taken out of their sails almost straight away, when a swift counter attack by Wolves saw them once again expose the space in their inside right channel, and again the ball was squared across the six yard box and Crookes was given no chance with the finish.

There was more than a hint of offside about that, but the reds didn't get the rub of the green on several offside decisions throughout. Indeed, Olsen had seen a fine first half goal ruled out by a dubious offside flag. That fourth Wolves goal was a killer blow really, but to the lads credit they kept pushing forward trying to get back into the game, and to be fair, they actually deserved to win, such were the amount of good chances they created.

Brian McIlroy, who had been very quiet up to this point, pulled another one back after a wonderful through ball from skipper Cavanagh. Brian is renowned for his pace, and he's a good finisher too, but he needs service, and he simply didn't get it in this game. The same applies to Armstrong. His work rate is not in question, but he hardly gets any decent service, and that's why his goalscoring record this season is so poor.

Warnock then hit the inside of the post with a deep cross, and also went agonisingly close with a header after a brilliant run and cross from Armstrong. John Welsh had a great shot well saved, and also went close with a couple of headers from corners as the reds piled on the pressure. If only they'd played like this in the first half.

Tony Morton was introduced in place of the tiring O'Brien, and he slotted straight in, spraying the ball about and linking up well with Welsh in the middle. On the balance of play, the reds can feel slightly aggrieved not to have gotten anything from this game, but the fact is that their woeful first half display ultimately sealed their fate.

The star man for me was Peter Cavanagh, who was solid in defence and in the second half was also his side's best attacking outlet. Along with Peter Crookes in goal, he was also the most vocal, and never stopped shouting and trying to lift his teammates. 'Cava' played a real captain's role, and just shades the star man award from the tireless Jamie Olsen and the influential John Welsh.


TEAM: Peter Crookes; Peter Cavanagh, Jon Otsemobor, Paul Culshaw, Steve Warnock; Chris Thompson, Jamie Olsen, Chris O'Brien (Tony Morton), Steve Torpey (John Welsh); Ian Armstrong, Brian McIlroy:



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