Liverpool u18 0 Bolton u18 2 (Feb 17 2007)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL U18 0 Bolton U18 2

Report by Peter Schulz at the Academy

Scorer(s) - Half Time - 0-1 Venue - The Academy Date - Sat 17 Feb 2007 Star Man - Astrit Ajdarevic

 

 

 

 

 

 

A depleted U18 side lost 2-0 to Bolton at the academy on Saturday morning. Owens and Heighway had picked just three players from Thursday’s cup win at Bramall Lane, and despite another solid performance from new recruit Astrit Ajdarevic, Bolton took full advantage of a couple of defensive mistakes either side of half time to wrap up the game.

David Roberts was back in goal as Martin Hansen was given a rest as sub goalkeeper with the U16s, but the keeper won’t want to dwell on today’s performance. The reds’ defensive line up was completed by John Routledge and Stephen Behan either side of captain Jay Spearing and Lawrence Gaughan.

In midfield, Ben Parsonage was given a chance on the right with Shane O’Connor on the left. In the middle, Jimmy Ryan and Ajdarevic were given the nod. Up front the management team went for Ryan Wignall and Michael Collins, but neither had days to remember.


The game started off relatively low key with only a few openings. Ajdarevic, who hadn’t expected to play, was always likely to be the key for Liverpool, and he carved out the first opening on 17 minutes when he beat three Bolton players and made space for a long range effort, which was, however, comfortably dealt with by the keeper. A few minutes later Michael Collins was released on the left, and his cutback found Wignall in space, but the forward miskicked and Parsonage’s low follow up effort was well blocked by the Bolton defence.

Bolton began exerting more pressure and found themselves ahead on 35 minutes following a freekick midway into the reds half. The ball was half cleared but Michael Roddy’s effort from 25 yards dipped just in time to go under Roberts’ crossbar. In my opinion, the keeper should have made an effort to save it, but it looked like he thought he had it covered, only to turn round and find it in the back of the net. Things were to get worse though.

Ajdarevic battled on at the other end and gave more samples of his brilliant close control to set up Jimmy Ryan with a long range effort, which was deflected just over.

On the stroke of half time, a great diagonal ball found Parsonage on the touchline. He crossed for Wignall who missed it, but Michael Collins collected the ball and turned, but his effort was wide.

The second half started in much the same vein. Stephen Behan should perhaps have done better following a corner on 49 minutes, but moments later Bolton had killed the game off.

Another freekick from 40 yards was drifted in towards the far post and met by an unmarked Bolton player. His header went straight at Roberts, who somehow managed to fumble it into his own net.

The reds had no answer, despite substituting the wide men Parsonage and O’Connor for Charlie Barnett and forgotten man Paul Barratt. Later on, Collins was replaced by Mattone Awang.

By now, it looked like the 90 minutes on Thursday were catching up with the promising Swede, who wasted a glorious opportunity to get Liverpool back in the game with about fifteen minutes to go. He met Paul Barratt’s excellent low cross, but his sidefooted effort went miles over. Seconds later, he set himself up on the edge of the box, but his low shot was weak.

Liverpool never mounted any real pressure on the visitors and it was only Charlie Barnett’s injury time shot which threatened. In the end it went inches wide.

Team: Roberts; Routledge, Spearing, Gaughan, Behan; Parsonage (Barratt 61), Ryan, Ajdarevic, O’Connor (Barnett 61); Collins (Awang 74) Wignall: