Forthcoming Fixtures

With six first choice academy players missing City were forced to play a very young side with the substitutes named on the bench playing in the u16s game on the other pitch on the other side of Liverpool’s Kirkby’s academy site. Also City had not got a recognised striker in their squad. City made use of the wind behind them in the first half to take the lead from the head of Dominic McHale. Liverpool came back on level terms late in the second half when a Jordan Lussey free kick appeared to go straight in.

With extra men in the midfield City controlled the majority of the possession in the opening minutes and were able to push forward with some good progressive play. So it was no real surprise that they were the team to break the deadlock when Albert Rusnak was fouled on the right in Liverpool’s half. George King whipped in a decent inswinging cross that Dominic McHale flicked up and on and it looped over the experienced Tyrell Belford in the Liverpool goal.



City failed to really create any clear cut chances but with Ellis Plummer showing the quality he always did at the younger ages marshalling the defence. Liverpool were not really worrying Angus Gunn’s goal either until the thirty sixth minute when Gregg Leigh was careless in possession on the left of the area and Jack Dunn forced a very good save from Gunn to keep City with the advantage.

City then had the chance to double their lead when good work by McHale on the left allowed him to cut inside and play the ball to George King who turned sharply but had his leg caught by Matthew Regan and King went down under the challenge. The referee awarded the penalty and Albert Rusnak took the decision to take it despite seeing his spot kick saved in the reciprocal home fixture. There was no change to this game’s outcome also as Belford dived the right way and pushed the ball behind for a corner.



City were certainly on the back foot in the second half with the wind in their faces and without that recognised forward line were making it easier for Liverpool to force them deeper into their own half and create more chances.



However it was a rather fortuitous circumstance that Liverpool were given chance to draw level when fullback Ryan McLaughlin cut inside and Ashley Smith-Brown stuck out a leg on the edge of the area but Ryan dived into the area and the referee wrongly awarded the spot kick. Fortunately justice was served as Angus Gunn saved the spot kick with his legs from substitute Adam Morgan.



Liverpool came very close to levelling just a few minutes later when Ryan McLaughlin had a decent twenty five yard shot that clipped the outside post on the right side of the pitch.



Liverpool finally were able to draw level when a free kick awarded for a foul by Luke Coulson on City’s right hand side and Jordan Lussey sends in a right footed inswinging ball that Angus Gunn tries to come to claim but misses the ball and it drops into the base of the goalpost and into the goal.



There was a couple of stoppages but you got the feeling with Liverpool’s tail’s up the referee was rather over generous with the stoppage time as the game went into the sixth minute of time added on before he blew the final whistle.

It is worth noting that City finished the game with four fifteen year old players on the pitch at the full time whistle

City are due to face Bolton at Platt Lane next week but City have to arrange the fifth round of the FA youth cup with Fulham at home and that could be in the next couple of weeks.

Team:

Gunn, Coulson, Plummer, Leigh, Smith Brown, Clowes, Hutton, Glendon, McHale (Barker), Rusnak, King (Bryan),

Subs:

Sharpe (GK), Horsefield, Adarabioyo

The under 16s were not so fortunate and were on the end of a 5-0 defeat