Liverpool u19 1 Stoke u19 3 (Feb 17 2001)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL U19 1 Stoke U19 3

Report by Dave Usher at the Academy

Scorer(s) - Chris Thompson Half Time - 0-0 Venue - The Academy Date - Sat 17 Feb 2001 Star Man - John Miles

 

 

 

 

 

The reds came into this game on the back of two away wins, yet despite dominating the game against clearly inferior opposition, they somehow contrived to lose yet again. I joked after the last home defeat that maybe I was a jinx, but after this I'm starting to think that maybe I am. The last time I saw the under 19's win was in early November!

I still can't believe they didn't win this one though, as they dominated from start to finish, with John Miles and Chris Thompson in outstanding form, and the defence virtually untroubled throughout. The early stages of this game were played in thick fog, but thankfully it lifted after about twenty minutes.

The reds began the brighter side, and were knocking the ball about extremely well. The passing was excellent throughout, and despite the result this was one of the better performances I've seen from Hughie McAuley's lads this season.

Miles partnered Armstrong up front, and it was his pace and skill that looked to be the reds best chance of opening the scoring. Most of his best work came in the inside left position, as he teased and tormented his marker before delivering a succession of quality crosses into the box. Sadly, nothing came of any of them.

On the right, Chris Thompson also had the beating of his marker, and it was from one excellent run and cross from 'Tommo' that Armstrong volleyed against the crossbar. That was typical of Armstrong's luck this season, as he only has two goals to his name, which for a player of his ability is unbelievable really.

The reds were completely dominant in the first half, and Stoke were struggling to stay in the game. They offered no attacking threat of their own, and McNulty and Culshaw at the back were snuffing out every attack of theirs before it even started. Olsen and Otsemobor were having good games at full back, and it seemed like it would just be a matter of time before the goal arrived.

It should have come from the penalty spot, yet amazingly the referee failed to spot the Stoke keeper rugby tackle John Miles in the area. Miles had charged down a clearance from the keeper, and had then rounded him only to be dragged down. Miles actually tried to carry on but could only scuff a shot wide from a prone position on the floor. Only the referee knows why he didn't give it, but it has to be one of the most bizarre decisions I've seen.

A couple of minutes later Armstrong found himself in space in the area, but he blasted his shot wide as he was clattered by the centre half. There was an almighty crack as the defender came in late, and again, a penalty could have been awarded as the defender didn't get anywhere the ball. Mind you, if the ref didn't think the one on Miles was a foul there was no way he was going to give this one.

So it was goalless at half time, and at this stage there was not a hint of what was to follow. The reds had been forced into a substitution just before half time, when John Welsh had to leave the field after picking up a knock in a fifty/fifty tackle.

It was a similar incident to the one involving Danny Murphy at Leeds the other week, as John went in for a block tackle and appeared to jar his ankle. He was replaced by Steve Torpey, which meant Warnock switching from the left of midfield to the centre alongside Chris O'Brien.

The second half was only a few minutes old when reds keeper Matty Parry scuffed a clearance straight to the Stoke number 11. He took a touch to set himself before firing it back over the despairing keeper's head into the empty net. A terrible mistake, but an excellent finish, which as he was to demonstrate later was no fluke.

So from being in complete control, the lads found themselves a goal down, totally against the run of play. They were clearly rattled, and Parry almost gifted Stoke a second when he took too long on the ball and was lucky to get away with it. He then dropped a cross under pressure, and Stoke almost made it two in the ensuing scramble.

This wasn't a good spell for the reds, and Parry then had to make a fingertip save to keep the deficit at only one. From the resulting corner though, slack marking allowed the centre half to volley in Stoke's second.

It was another very bad goal to give away, and Stoke couldn't believe their luck. The reds kept plugging away, and with Warnock pulling the strings in midfield and Thompson and Miles always dangerous, there was always hope that they could still pull this game out of the fire. Miles broke free of the defence, and was initially held back before the defender passed back to the keeper, who inexplicably picked the ball up.

What happened then I'm not entirely sure, as I was too busy trying to get a photo of it that I didn't see who hit the shot. I know Armstrong rolled the ball for someone to hit, but I'm not sure whether it was Thompson, Miles or even Warnock who hit it. To make it worse, the picture came out all blurred anyway!

I think it was Miles that hit it, but I'll have to read the report on the official site to make sure (it turns out it was Thompson after all). Anyway, that should have been the catalyst for the reds to go on and win the game, but less than two minutes later it was 3-1, as the number eleven spotted Parry off his line and lobbed him from all of forty yards. It was a fantastic strike to be fair, although Parry won't be pleased about being beaten from that distance.

More chances came and went for Liverpool, as Neil Mellor - on for O'Brien - headed just over and then had a shot blocked, and Otsemobor also headed just too high. Thompson and Otsemobor had linked up well down the right, and were two of the reds better players on the day.

McNulty and Culshaw were rock solid in defence, and Olsen had an excellent game at left back. John Miles was the star man though, as his clever running, close control and trickery made him a constant menace for the Stoke defence. On the plus side, Steve Warnock managed to get through the game without picking up a yellow card!


TEAM: Matty Parry; Jon Otsemobor, Paul Culshaw, Steven McNulty, Jamie Olsen; Chris Thompson, Chris O'Brien (Neil Mellor), John Welsh (Steve Torpey), Steve Warnock (Alan Coupe); John Miles, Ian Armstrong:



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