Simao pbuttes medical:SSN.COMPortugal international Simao Sabrosa has pbutted a medical as he closes on a move to Liverpool. The Benfica winger is expected to join the European champions prior to Wednesday's transfer...
West Brom Res 0, Liverpool Res 1
Aug 31 2005
Daily Post
PETER CROUCH made his return from injury as Antonio Barragan's second-half strike ensured Liverpool Reserves picked up their first win of the season in the Barclays Premier Reserve League North at the Hawthorns last night.
West Brom fielded a strong line-up with several experienced players, but the young Liverpool side were worthy winners.
The first opportunity of the game went to the home side, when the away defence failed to deal with Carter's corner. Jack Hobbs had to make a brave challenge to deny Davies and Darren Moore blazed the loose ball over the bar from 10 yards.
New signing Ramon Calliste should have put the visitors in front just before the half-hour, when he took a pbutt from Sinama-Pongolle and went past Moore only to fluff his shot when faced with the keeper.
Barragan then forced Kuszcak into a save with a powerful 25-yard shot, but the keeper was powerless to stop the Spanish youth international from opening the scoring on 51 minutes.
Sinama-Pongolle released Guthrie, and when the midfielder's shot was saved by Kuszcak, Barragan was there to finish from close range.
Moore should have equalised for Albion five minutes later when he headed wide of an open goal after Willis had flapped at a corner.
Sinama-Pongolle made way on the hour for new signing Besian Idrizaj, a 17-year-old Austrian winger who joined the club this week, and two minutes later Crouch - who has been sidelined for a month with a ham-string injury - was introduced for Calliste.
The big striker was immediately in the thick of the action, forcing Kuszcak into a good save after a mazy dribble had taken him clear of three defenders in the box.
LIVERPOOL: Willis, Raven, Smith, Roque, O'Donnell, Peltier, Barragan, Hobbs (Mannix 79), Sinama-Pongolle (Idrizaj 60), Calliste (Crouch 62), Guthrie.
WEST BROM: Kuszcak, Hodgkiss, Scimeca, Johnson (Baker 62), Moore, Forsyth, Smikle (Humphries 79), Chaplow, Ellington, Carter, Davies.
