Liverpool u19 1 Leicester u19 1 (Apr 7 2001)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL U19 1 Leicester U19 1

Report by Dave Usher at the Academy

Scorer(s) - Ian Armstrong Half Time - 1-0 Venue - The Academy Date - Sat 7 Apr 2001 Star Man - Steve Warnock

 

 

 

 

 

A first half strike by Ian Armstrong was cancelled out by a late equaliser as the reds could only draw with Leicester City on a horrible wet morning at the Academy.

The reds dominated the first half, with Armstrong in particular causing Leicester all kinds of problems. He scored one and could have had at least three more but for some bad luck and bad finishing. Chris O'Brien hit the post, and Steve Torpey also went close as Hughie MacAuley's lads ran riot in the opening 45 minutes.

John Miles' trickery and direct running were a feature of this game, and it was Miles who created the reds' goal when he set off on a mazy run into the area. He fed Armstrong, who showed some neat footwork to create space for himself before slotting home left footed.

It could have been two soon after when from a corner, the ball fell to Armstrong again, and after his shot was blocked, O'Brien pounced on the rebound but couldn't believe it when his shot came back off the post.

Armstrong struck a fine left foot shot just wide from 25 yards, and then should have done better when he scuffed a shot wide of the post after a great interchange of passes with Brian McIlroy.

Leicester were not offering anything in attack, and were happy just to keep the score down at this stage. Otsemobor & co in the reds defence could have got the cigars out, such was their dominance.

The second half began the same way, with the reds in control. McIlroy completely missed his header after Warnock had got to the byline and delivered one of the best crosses you're likely to see anywhere. The ball travelled across the six yard box like an excocet missile, and it's little wonder McIlroy didn't make contact. If he had it could have taken his head off.

Warnock was getting forward to good effect, and he was linking up well with Miles, who had switched flanks with Torpey after half time. Torpey saw a shot well saved by the keeper after a flowing move involving Welsh and Armstrong, but after that chances were few and far between.

Leicester probably couldn't believe that it was still only 1-0, and slowly but surely they started to come into the game. They threw their giant centre half into attack, and he was guilty of one of the most horrendous misses I've ever seen.

A long ball over the top sent him away, but there appeared to little danger as reds' keeper Matty Parry raced out of his goal to clear. Unfortunately, Parry isn't the best in the world with his feet, and he totally missed the ball, leaving the Leicester lad with a clear run to an empty net. Somehow though he pushed the ball too far in front of him and couldn't catch it before it rolled out harmlessly for a goal kick. Highly amusing it was.

Leicester's heads visibly dropped after that, and their coach really threw the rattle out of the pram, belting a ball into the dug out in frustration. It looked as though the reds would hold on, and that the jinx would be broken (remember, I haven't seen the under 19's win since November), until with about five minuted left they grabbed the equaliser from a set piece.

The possibly deserved it for the way they finished the game, but had the reds taken their chances the game would have been well out of Leicesters reach by then.

I've gone for Warnock as the star man, but it wasn't an easy decision as I didn't think anyone was particularly outstanding. O'Brien and Welsh did okay in midfield, Miles showed some good things, Otsemobor and McNulty were steady enough and Armstrong was always dangerous, but no-one did more than Warnock, so he gets the nod.


TEAM: Matty Parry; Paul Culshaw, Jon Otsemobor, Steven McNulty, Steve Warnock; John Miles, Chris O'Brien, John Welsh, Steve Torpey (Tony Morton); Brian McIlroy, Ian Armstrong:



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