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The U18s batter West Brom
Nathan Eccleston hit a superb hat-trick as Liverpool Under 18s followed on from their FA Youth Cup success in midweek with a stylish display against West Brom on Saturday.
Hugh McAuley's men edged a closely fought first-half courtesy of a Marvin Pourie strike on 26 minutes before pulling clear in the second period with further goals from Eccleston (3) and substitute Michael Collins leading them to a 5-0 win at the Academy.
The Reds coach was disappointed with his side's display in the opening 45 minutes but was quick to praise the quality of Eccleston, who hit a second-half treble.
"Nathan took his goals well," said McAuley.
"His finishing has been very impressive this season and after the New Year he needs to keep working hard and keep scoring goals. If he does that then who knows what he can achieve."
While McAuley was frustrated by his side's first-half performance he admitted they had turned it around following the interval and was more than satisfied with another high-scoring triumph.
"I'm not pleased with the first-half because I didn't think we played like we can," he continued.
"But we sorted some stuff out at half-time and the response in the second-half was very good. We scored some well taken goals and I thought Alex Kacaniklic came on and gave a very useful contribution.
"He gave us some life and like I say, we scored some good goals and finished the match strongly.
"We set ourselves a target ahead of the three matches we have played this week - against Crewe, Wycombe and West Brom - and we have achieved it by winning all three. So I'm very pleased with the lads and we can now look forward to the New Year with confidence."
In freezing conditions the home side made a fast start and could have taken the lead within the opening 10 minutes.
First a penalty appeal was turned down after a goalmouth melee on six minutes before Marvin Pourie saw his strike from the edge of the box smash against the woodwork.
Gary MacKay-Steven then had a shot well stopped by West Brom keeper Gavin Carlin as Liverpool carved out the more clear-cut opportunities early on.
The visitors battled well but rarely tested Martin Hansen in the Liverpool goal and their only chance of note came on 23 minutes when Stefan Morrison fired just wide of the post.
It was a scare for the home side but they duly responded by going in front three minutes later, when a good move down the left saw MacKay-Steven deliver the perfect pass to Pourie who made no mistake with a smart shot from just outside the area.
It was a lead McAuley's men held through to the interval and it wasn't long before they doubled their advantage with a goal on 55 minutes.
Half-time substitute Alex Kacaniklic skipped past two challenges down the left before picking out Nathan Eccleston, who made no mistake with a simple finish inside the six yard box.
It was the goal that killed off the visitors' resistence and for the remainder of the match Liverpool laid siege to the West Brom goal.
There was certainly an air of inevitability about the third and it arrived with an element of deja vu involved, as Kacaniklic once again served it up on a platter for Eccleston to fire home his second of the match, after more good work down the left flank.
Only some last-ditch defending stopped the Reds from running riot and Steve Irwin, Joe Kennedy and Astrit Ajdarevic all went close before substitute Michael Collins struck the goal of the game on 72 minutes.
The young forward had replaced David Amoo just after the hour mark, and didn't take long to get on the scoresheet, bringing down a raking ball from the left with an exquisite touch with his heel, and racing through to slot the ball beyond the onrushing keeper.
All that was left was Eccleston to grab his hat-trick and after he had a goal disallowed for offside in the final moments, he wrapped up the win with seconds remaining, when he finished cooly after being played through by Sean Highdale.
Liverpool U18s team: Hansen, Irwin, O'Connor, Wooton, Kennedy, Highdale, Amoo (Collins 62), Ajdarevic, Pourie (Scott 70), Eccleston, Mackay-Steven (Kacaniklic 46),
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