Liverpool Res 1 Wolves Res 0 (Sep 14 2005)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL RES 1 Wolves Res 0

Report by Dave Usher at the Racecourse Ground

Scorer(s) - Antonio Barragan Half Time - 1-0 Venue - The Racecourse Ground Date - Wed 14 Sep 2005 Star Man - Antonio Barragan

 

 

 

 

 

Antonio Barragan was the reserves' matchwinner for the second game in succession, as his first half strike was enough to see off a determined Wolves side at the Racecourse Ground. It was the ressies second win in four games so far this season, following on from their 1-0 win over West Brom two weeks ago.

Paco Herrera and Hughie McAuley named a young side as usual, making four changes from the team which won at the Hawthorns. In defence, Zak Whitbread replaced James Smith at left back, whilst in midfield Darren Potter and David Mannix made their first starts of the season, coming in for Danny Guthrie and Jack Hobbs. Up front, Austrian teenager Besian Idrizaj replaced Florent Sinama-Pongolle, who of course had been one of the heroes for the first team the previous evening.

Potter lined up on the left of midfield, with Barragan on the right. In a drab first half Potter was the pick of the reds' midfield, showing good composure on the ball and playing some excellent passes. It was a very uneventful first half however, with little creativity coming from either side and both defences well on top.

Potter was always the most likely to make something happen, despite being in an unfamilar position. Therefore it was no surprise when he created the only goal of the game fro Barragan. Potter had been involved in the move several times, as he drifted across the field exchaging passes with team-mates before splitting the Wolves defence wide open with a threaded pass which Barragan instantly toe poked past Strefan Postma for his second goal of the season.

Prior to that, Idrizaj and Ramon Calliste had both shot high over the bar following swift counter attacks, and for the visitors Gobern hit a shot a foot wide of Paul Willis' goal from 18 yards out. Other than that, nothing really happened apart from the combative Lee Peltier collecting an early yellow card for a crunching challenge.

The second half was little better, although it started well enough. Two minutes in Calliste laid the ball off to Whitbread and then ran in behind the Wolves defence. Whitbread's pass was right into his stride and the pacy young Welshman went past the last defender and unleashed a viscious left footed shot from a tight angle which Postma had to parry over the crossbar.

Wolves responded immediately, when Whitbread conceded possession and Gobern crossed from the right wing to Stewart at the back post. The winger had time to control the ball and get his shot away, but Willis made a terrific stop. A minute later, Willis had a more routine save when striker Vio Ganea planted a free header straight at him.

Calliste then should have done better when the lively Barragan won possession and fed him, but instead of delivering a return pass to the Spaniard, Calliste tried a shot from 20 yards which was easy for Postma. Calliste never stopped running though, and went close again when he almost latched onto substitute Danny Guthrie's through ball but was again thwarted by Postma who saved well at his feet.

Guthrie had replaced Potter early in the second half, and the reds were forced into another change when captain David Raven was forced off with a calf injury. He was replaced by Godwin Antwi, who did very well at right back. The final change saw Idrizaj withdrawn and Hobbs come on in his place. The move was clearly designed to bolster the midfield and hold onto the points, and it worked.

The only scare for the reds came when Willis took too long to clear the ball, and it struck Ganea. The ball could have gone anywhere, but luckily for the young Irishman it popped straight up into his arms.

Overall it was a scrappy performance, perhaps the least fluid display of the season so far from the ressies. But there is a good spirit in the squad and they are working very hard for eachother. Defensively they are looking solid, with Miki Roque having settled into the side extremely well for one so young.

Danny O'Donnell's form is much improved from last season, and as a unit the defence are looking good. They are getting excellent protection from the central midfielders, and Mannix and Peltier worked very hard and won countless challenges in the middle of the park. They used the ball sensibly too.

Selecting a star man wasn't easy, as no-one stood out particularly. I was leaning towards Peltier, but Barragan was the matchwinner and also had several promising runs down the right, so in the end I went for him.

Team: Willis; Raven (Antwi), Roque, O'Donnell, Whitbread; Barragan, Peltier, Mannix, Potter (Guthrie); Idrizaj (Hobbs), Calliste:

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