Reserves & Academy Match Reports D Post

Liverpool Reserves 1, Birmingham Reserves 0

Apr 4 2006

Daily Post

PAUL ANDERSON struck with two minutes to go to give Liverpool reserves a 1-0 victory against Birmingham City in the Barclays FA Premier Reserve League North last night.

Anderson fired in a rebound from a tight angle after Adam Hammill's shot had been saved by City keeper Legzdins.

After a low key opening Robbie Foy produced the first goal attempt of the game with a low drive from 25 yards which went just wide. Ramon Calliste tried his luck from similar range and forced a smart save out of City keeper Legzdins.

Anderson then went close with a rasping half-volley following great play by Jack Hobbs.

The winger then saw another effort go just wide after a superb ball from Foy had created the opening.

Anderson was beginning to cause City a lot of problems, and persistent play from him on the stroke of half-time saw him cut the ball back to Calliste, but his shot was deflected behind by a defender.

Liverpool made a bright start to the second half, and four minutes in Painter was forced into a sliced clearance over his own bar following Danny Guthrie's low cross.

Guthrie was involved again three minutes later when his sweeping pbutt picked out Anderson who took the ball past the fullback before powering a shot just wide.

With 65 minutes gone Liverpool introduced Lee Tomlin, a 17-year-old triallist from Rushden & Diamonds, in place of the ineffective Calliste.

It was one-way traffic but Liverpool were finding it hard to create any clear-cut openings despite completely dominating possession.

Peltier had a header saved by Legzdins following a corner, and Tomlin was also denied by the keeper with a header from Barragan's enormous throw in.

Substitute Adam Ham-mill was next to be foiled by Legzdins when his spectacular long range blast was tipped over.

The City keeper had looked unbeatable all evening, but Liverpool finally got the goal their dominance deserved when Anderson struck late on.

LIVERPOOL RESERVES: Martin, Barragan, Roque (Smith 83), Antwi, O'Donnell, Hobbs, Anderson, Peltier, Calliste (Tomlin 65), Guthrie (Hammill 74), Foy.

Frustration for Liverpool coach

Apr 4 2006

Academy Football with Chriis Wright,

Daily Post

FRANCIS SMITH kept a cool head to earn Liverpool under-18s a point when he scored from the spot in the final minute as they drew 2-2 with Sheffield Wednesday at the Kirkby Academy.

John Owens's side couldn't make it two FA Premier Academy League wins in three days, following their derby victory on Thursday.

Also pleasing was the return of defender Jay Spearing, who has been out for more than returned six months with a broken leg.

Liverpool will now look to build on two positive performances when they return to action again on Thursday afternoon against Nottingham Forest at Kirkby (kickoff 12noon).

And initially it looked, that despite the changes, Liverpool would carry on where they left off in Thursday's 2-0 derby victory over Everton.

Ryan Wignall opened the scoring after 20 minutes. He tapped in after Ryan Flynn went one-on-one with the keeper but unselfishly squared the ball to him after the midfielder had been through put on goal from Craig Lindfield's flicked from goalkeeper Dave Roberts's long kick.

But with 15 minutes left two quick goals from Sheffield Wednesday put Liverpool on the back foot. The first came after David Roberts' miss-kicked clearance fell straight to the Wednesday forward and his shot deflected in off Smith. Then from a corner the visitors went in front.

Liverpool poured forward in search of an equaliser and just as it looked like they would get no reward for their efforts, they were literally handed their chance. Smith's header from substitute Jonathan Pringle's cross had been handled by a Wednesday defender and the 18-year-old stepped up to score and give his side a point.

Owens was not happy with the overall performance. He said: "The back four played well and were always particularly sound, but I think generally most other players were up to about 80%. When you get that then they don't perform as a team and you don't get the result.

"We probably had more chances to score, but overall it wasn't a good performance particularly after the way we played against Everton."

LIVERPOOL UNDER-18s: Roberts; Holmes, Darby, Threlfall, Burns; Ryan (Spearing 65), Smith, Flynn, Barratt; Wignall (Pringle 70), Lindfield. Subs: Lancaster, Platt.