Liverpool Res 0 Manchester United Res 1 (Apr 19 2007)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL RES 0 Man Utd Res 1

Report by Peter Schulz at the Racecourse Ground

Scorer(s) Half Time – 0-1 Venue – Racecourse Ground, Wrexham Date - Thu 19 Apr 2007 Star Man – Jack Hobbs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Profligacy in front of goal cost Liverpool reserves as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat to Man Utd at the Racecourse Ground on Thursday night. The best chances of the match fell to Brouwer and Flynn, but it was the visitors’ Chris Eagles’ goal midway through the first half that settled the tie on an unusually sunny day in Wrexham.

It was a game the young reds could and should have won and Gary Ablett will have been left scratching his head wondering how they didn’t.

Liverpool featured five of the side that lost the first leg of the youth cup final, and in the first half it told, as most of them looked tired. The exception was Spearing, who was back in the middle of the park, and once again he impressed.

The young reds shaded the first half in terms of possession and the first chance fell to left winger Robbie Threlfall whose long range shot was well-saved. Jordy Brouwer then headed over following a good cross from Paul Anderson on the right.

Emiliano Insua’s crossing and deadball deliveries were dangerous as usual and he set up Craig Lindfield who headed narrowly over at the far post.

On 26 minutes, however, the reds fell behind from a freekick on the Man Utd left some 30 yards from goal. Eagles put in a curling cross which somehow evaded everyone and bounced in front of Padelli to slip inside the far post.

The reds struggled to respond but five minutes from half time, Anderson’s corner was flicked on by Brouwer, only for Lindfield and then Threlfall to miss from close range while under pressure.

The second half saw the reds well and truly on top of proceedings. First, Anderson’s long range shot flew just over Heaton’s goal, and a minute later he provided a cross from which Brouwer really should have done a lot better. His tame header was saved easily by the United keeper.

But Anderson was really starting to get into the game and it was his corner which was flicked just over the bar by Lindfield.

A few minutes later, Threlfall’s cross was met by Flynn in the middle, but his header was worse than Brouwer’s and went well wide. Threlfall’s goal-bound effort from just inside the box was then inadvertantly blocked by Brouwer, and Anderson had another effort deflected just over after a lovely ball from Spearing.

The resulting corner from Anderson found Hobbs rising above everyone and smashing a header off the United post. Six minutes later, he almost did it again, just failing to get a proper contact on that occasion.

In the end, Threlfall gave way for Putterill who has impressed so much for the Youth Cup side, but he was unable to provide the spark as Man Utd held on for another somewhat fortunate victory. Daniele Padelli’s first save of the match came in stoppage time in the second half.

The reds reserves have one game left this season, at home against Everton on April 30th


Team: Padelli; Darby, Hobbs, Paletta, Insua; Anderson, Spearing, Flynn, Threlfall (Putterill); Brouwer, Lindfield:

For exclusive photo's from this game, click here