Liverpool Res 0 Middlesbrough Res 2 (Mar 28 2006)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL RES 0 Middlesbrough Res 2

Report by Dave Usher at the Academy

Scorer(s) - Half Time - 0-0 Venue - The Liverpool Academy, Kirkby Date - Tue 28 Mar 2006 Star Man - Lee Peltier

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lady luck deserted Liverpool reserves as two wicked deflections condemned them to defeat by Middlesbrough in a Barclays FA Premier Reserve League game played at the reds’ Academy last night. Both Boro goals came in the second half, and both would have been stopped by reds' keeper David Martin had they not been diverted into the opposite corner of his goal.

Paco Herrera’s side were the better side throughout and will be scratching their heads wondering how they could lose a game in which they were much the better side.

Liverpool made a couple of changes from the side which had drew with Villa last week. Callum Woods came in for his first start of the season in place of James Smith at left wing back, whilst Paul Anderson returned to the side up front at the expense of Ramon Calliste.

Lee Peltier continued in midfield despite last week's red card, as his suspension won't come into effect until the next game. Once again, Herrera went with a 3-4-1-2 with Danny Guthrie in the hole.

Anderson had a chance to put the reds in front after only three minutes, when he charged down an attempted clearance from a defender and closed in on goal. His shot had plenty of power but was too high. A minute later Robbie Foy went clean through after a great ball by Antonio Barragan, but he scuffed his shot wide.

Foy scored in both of last week's reserve games, and has been in good form since returning from his loan with Wrexham. It was surprising to see him scuff his shot like that as he's usually a good striker of the ball with either foot.

Anderson had another chance on 22 minutes when Guthrie’s clever pass found him in space. He cut inside his marker from the right wing, but his shot was deflected and Boro keeper Knight was able to make a comfortable save.

Boro offered little in attack, and kept getting caught offside as the reds back three held a good line. Striker Tom Craddock had ripped Liverpool to pieces in Boro's home fixture a few months ago, but he hardly got a look in against the impressive trio of Antwi, Roque and O'Donnell.

David Martin had little to do in a fairly dour first half which was not helped by a swirling wind. It was raining at the start too, but thankfully it stopped shortly after kick off, as there's nowhere to take shelter at the Academy.

The second half was much more eventful, as Liverpool stepped up a gear and began to play some good stuff. Anderson had been withdrawn at half time, presumably due to a knock although he seemed ok when he went off. Calliste replaced him, and made a very lively start.

Three minutes after the break Woods had a shot saved by Knight after a good cross by Calliste, but a minute later Boro went in front with an extremely fortuitous strike by Adam Johnson. The winger tried a speculative effort from 30 yards which looked to be posing no threat, until it hit Miki Roque and deflected past Martin who had slipped as he tried to change direction.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion, as Martin lay o the ground desperately trying to reach the ball as it rolled past his right hand.

Liverpool almost hit back within five minutes when Barragan beat four players on a mazy run into the area before shooting just wide. The Spanish wing back had an excellent second half and was a constant danger to the Boro defence. He'd been fairly ineffective in the opening 45 minutes, but really came alive in the second half.

In the first half he hadn't looked too interested, and and the biting wind and rain must have seemed a long way from sunny Seville. Maybe Paco had a go at him at half time, or maybe it was a warmer on the other side of the pitch. Either way, Antonio was a different player in the second period and made several exciting runs through the Boro backline.

O’Donnell wasted a glorious chance to equalise on 58 minutes when he headed over Guthrie’s left wing corner from five yards out. He really should have scored, but other than that he had a fine game once more. Foy then had a shot saved after good work by Calliste, as Liverpool dominated.

Craddock beat the Liverpool offside trap on 66 minutes, but was denied by a good save by the feet of Martin. Liverpool introuduced youth cup goal machine Craig Lindfield for Woods on 69 minutes, and within seconds he was sent clean through on goal. With all the time in the world he advanced on the keeper and tried to take the ball around him, only for Knight to save well at his feet.

The chance probably came too soon for Criag, and had he been on the field longer he may well have made a different decision. His introduction gave the side a better balance though, as they reverted to 442. Foy dropped back to the left wing, Guthrie went to the right and Roque moved over to left back.

Calliste had a shot saved, before a cross from Barragan deflected of a defender over Knight’s head. It looked certain to go in, but hit the underside of the bar and Calliste just failed to turn in the rebound. Guthrie then had a goalbound shot deflect off Calliste into the arms of Knight. It wasn't going to be Liverpool's night, and just to compound Liverpool’s bad luck Boro wrapped up the win in the final minute with another deflected goal.

The otherwise excellent Lee Peltier gave the ball saway in midfield, and Johnson made a swift break. He played the ball inside to Owens, and as he got his shot away O'Donnell had come flying in to make a block. Danny got a lot on it, and initially it looked like he'd made a great intervention, but the ball flew just inside the near post leaving Martin helpless.

I went for Peltier as the star man after consultation with my matchday companions. I could have given it to Guthrie or Barragan for their second half performances, but Lee was quietly impressive for the whole game, that one late mistake apart, so he gets the nod.


Liverpool: Martin; Antwi, Roque, O’Donnell; Barragan, Peltier, Hobbs (Flynn), Woods (Lindfield); Guthrie; Anderson (Calliste), Foy: