Liverpool Res 1 Birmingham Res 0 - (Apr 4 2006)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL RES 1 Birmingham Res 0

Report by Peter Schulz at the Racecourse Ground

Scorer(s) - Paul Anderson Half Time - 0-0 Venue - The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham Date - Mon 4 Apr 2006 Star Man - Paul Anderson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liverpool reserves beat Birmingham City 1-0 in convincing style on Monday night at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham. 17-year-old trialist Lee Tomlin played for 25 minutes and played a part in setting up Paul Anderson’s goal 2 minutes from the end. In reality, the win could easily have been much bigger as Legzdins was by far the busier goalkeeper all night.

The reds lined up in a 4-4-1-1 with Martin in goal, and a back four of Barragan and Roque either side of Antwi and O’Donnell. The midfield consisted of Hobbs and Peltier in the centre with Foy starting on the left and Anderson on the right. Up front Guthrie played just behind Calliste.

The reds started off well and quickly took control of the game with Hobbs and Guthrie in the driving seat in the middle of the park. Their first effort came on 17 minutes when Robbie Foy picked the ball up on the halfway line, turned and made good run before unleashing a decent long range effort which fizzed wide of Legzdins’ post.

Two minutes later, Welsh U21 forward Ramon Calliste saw a good dipping effort from the edge of the box tipped over the bar by the visitors’ keeper.

Chances kept coming and Paul Anderson shot just wide after being fed through brilliantly by the impressive Jack Hobbs. Further chances fell to Roque whose shot on the turn was harmless, and to Anderson who latched on to a through ball by Foy, cut inside and shot just wide.

Right on the stroke of half time David Martin pumped a high ball deep into Birmingham territory. Paul Anderson chased it well, and he muscled the defender off the ball on the line before cutting it back to Ramon Calliste whose shot was deflected and went wide.

The began the second half the way they’d ended the first – in total control. On 52 minutes Danny Guthrie put in an inviting low cross from the right, but the defender flung himself at it and gave away the corner with Calliste behind him ready to pounce.

Two minutes later, good work from Robbie Foy on the left saw him carry it across the pitch and give the ball to Guthrie who in turn picked out Anderson. The winger flicked it over the head of the fullback and latched onto it, but his shot on the half volley went half a foot over the bar.

With 20 minutes played of the second half, Herrera and McAuley made the first change of the night bringing on trialist Lee Tomlin from Rushden & Diamond for the disappointing Ramon Calliste. The Welshman really flatters to deceive at times. It seems he could be far more effective, but he often makes the wrong choices and dallies on the ball taking too many touches when perhaps he should be getting his head up and see what options are available.

Lee Peltier then headed a Robbie Foy corner from the right goalwards as the reds were making a final push to claim all three points. Again the keeper made a comfortable save.

With half an hour played of the second period Adam Hammill replaced Danny Guthrie in a move which saw Foy switching to a central role and Hammill slotting in on the left side of midfield.

A minute later, Lee Tomlin made his first meaningful contribution to the match when he got up to steer Barragan’s throw in towards the near corner. It was well directed but the keeper was equal to it and turned it wide. The resulting corner caused more havoc in the Birmingham defence, but in the end Roque’s shot was blocked and Anderson’s follow up cleared.

At this stage the reds were dominating the game completely with Birmingham struggling to get it out of their own half at times. The management team made another change bringing on James Smith for the hard working Miki Roque, who again found himself impressing spectators in another new position for him.

With five minutes to go, strong work in midfield by Lee Peltier saw him feed Adam Hammill who had come inside. He unleashed a powerful 25 yard shot, but again the keeper tipped the ball over the bar.

Three minutes later the reds finally broke the deadlock. Tomlin chased a lost cause and forced Legzdins into making a hurried clearance which went up in the air. The forward picked the ball up on the left hand side, turned, and laid it off for Hammill on the edge of the box.

His shot was pushed onto the post and rolled across the goalmouth. Paul Anderson was quickest and slotted the ball home from the narrowest of angles a couple of yards out. It was just reward for a thoroughly impressive showing by the young reds.

The game summed up Liverpool reserves this season. Very strong at the back where Martin did not have a real save to make, solid in midfield, but lacking creativity and power in the final third of the pitch. The team does not score enough goals and one would assume that is why Tomlin was handed a chance to impress.

The little man didn’t do much wrong. He is built a bit like Blackburn’s Craig Bellamy with a nice little mullet and all and is extremely bowlegged. He looks strong though, and it will be interesting to see whether he will be offered a contract when his trial period is over.

There were several candidates for the TLW star man award as Jack Hobbs and Lee Peltier were strong defensively and shored up the midfield well. Peltier, who apparently doesn’t start his suspension for last week’s red card yet, is even beginning to make his presence felt when going forward, and that’s definitely something he seems to have added to his game recently. Perhaps the trust shown in him by Herrera and McAuley is beginning to pay off.

The back four were solid all night and didn’t give the Birmingham team a sniff all night. On the wing Robbie Foy was again in good form, but star man was Paul Anderson whose best position is definitely on that right wing. He looks dangerous once he gets to run at his man and he is good at getting on the end of balls played in the channel between fullback and centre half, and on the outside. He has frightening pace and tonight it helped him reach the rebound from Hammill’s shot for the decisive goal.

Next reserve game is Wednesday night at Sunderland for the rearranged fixture. A report from that game will be on the site before the weekend.


Team: Martin; Barragan, Antwi, O'Donnell, Roque (Smith); Anderson, Hobbs, Peltier, Foy; Guthrie (Hammill), Calliste (Tomlin):