Liverpool Res 0 Bolton Res 0 (Feb 9 2006)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL RES 0 Bolton Res 0

Report by Peter Schulz at the Racecourse Ground

Scorer(s) - Half Time - 0-0 Venue - The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham Date - Thur 9 Feb 2006 Star Man - Lee Peltier

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel Agger and Luis Garcia were both called upon, but Liverpool Reserves failed to break down a resilient Bolton Wanderers side in Wrexham on Thursday night. Both were substituted relatively early in the game.

Liverpool dominated the game, and will feel they should have taken the three points, but in truth, the chances weren’t that many, and when they finally came, they were squandered. Much like that team that plays its home games at Anfield, actually.

The following paragraph is becoming a recurrent feature of reserve reports on this site, and for that I do apologise, but it simply has to be said that following the reserves is the best possible preparation for a trip to the North Pole. It seems to be absolutely freezing cold every time the reserves are in action. This time was no different and the football served up was not enough to make the press contingent forget the below zero temperatures.

Liverpool looked positive early on and Ramon Calliste had the first half chance of the night following a Paul Anderson cross, but he was stretching and couldn’t get enough power on the header. An easy save in the end for the Bolton keeper, affectionately named McBain because of his voice and accent being very similar to this great Simpsons character. (for further reference, see here: http://forum.liverpoolway.co.uk/showthread.php?t=25896 )

Luis Garcia was showing some nice touches and good awareness and in the 22nd minute he made a joke of the whole of Bolton’s left side by single-handedly forcing his way through. In the end he nutmegged the centre back on the touchline before providing an excellent cut-back to Paul Anderson, whose shot from 7-8 yards was tame to say the least.

Minutes later, Antonio Barragan broke through on the opposite side but his shot skimmed the top of the cross bar and went over. The teams went in at half time with the reds still controlling the game, as Rafa Benitez would probably have suggested.

Liverpool made a change at half time bringing Adam Hammill on in place of Luis Garcia who had slowly lost his way in the last minutes of the first half. McAuley and Herrera moved Guthrie into the middle off Calliste with Hammill now operating on the left wing. He didn’t see much of the ball, but whenever he did, he looked to create openings. In fact, his first touch saw him go past a defender and his second was a cross which was headed out for a corner.

Daniel Agger came off after 53 minutes without really having been tested at any time. His substitution came immediately after a corner, which the Dane headed about a yard wide, but other than corners he had made none of his trademark forward raids into the opposition half. On in his place came the forgotten man, Danny O’Donnell.

Liverpool continued to create a few chances and both Guthrie and Calliste had efforts saved by McBain. On 70 minutes, Besian Idrizaj, who had come on for Guthrie minutes before, won a free kick just outside the box, but Lee Peltier’s low shot was also blocked well by McBain.

As the half wore on, Bolton seemed to grow in confidence and carved out one or two chances of their own. David Martin had to be alert on a couple of occasions, but he dealt well with both shots and crosses as well as providing a vocal presence at the back.

It was difficult to pick out a star man as no one really ever stood out. Jack Hobbs, captaining the side, is developing well at the moment and put in a solid performance, as did young full back James Smith. They were, however, both shaded by Lee Peltier, who in the absence of Darren Potter and David Mannix had his best game this season and was unlucky not to come away with his first goal.


Team: Martin; Barragan, Roque, Agger (O'Donnell), Smith; Anderson, Hobbs, Peltier, Guthrie (Idrizaj); Garcia (Hammill), Calliste: