Barnsley late show thwarts Reds

Mike Marsh's youngsters edged a keenly-contested encounter and looked like taking the spoils  through Kristoffer Peterson's header after Jordan Clark's stunning strike had cancelled out Josh Sumner's sublime opener.

However, substitute Josh Alderson pounced in the fourth minute of injury-time to snare a point and leave the Reds stunned.

The Academy kids went into the contest on the back of a dramatic late victory at Leeds United but knew they would need to raise their level against a side still protecting a 100 per cent start to their campaign.

The Tykes had notched up four wins from their first four matches and almost stole ahead inside 90 seconds but Jamie Stephens did well to thwart the prolific Danny Rose.

There was a real confidence about the visitors' attacking play and Joe Rafferty was forced to produce a Jamie Carragher-esque interception to deny Sam Patterson a clear sight of goal on eight minutes.

Liverpool were struggling to get in behind the Barnsley rearguard and once again it was the away team who posed the questions with last season's 23-goal hitman, Rose flicking an effort straight into the hands of the grateful Stephens.

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The Reds had no shortage of attacking talent on the field and on the quarter of an hour mark they finally carved out a half chance when Peterson jinked to the byline and cut a ball across goal that Tykes defender, John Stones just about cleared.

It seemed to give Liverpool an immediate lift and less than a minute later they were ahead. Sumner picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and turned his marker before curling a sublime right footer into the top corner.

The diminutive attacker was suddenly at the heart of the home side's play and it was his ball that played in Adam Morgan but the striker delayed his shot and eventually saw it deflect to safety.

Next, it was the No.9 who turned provider when he nodded Sumner's cross into the path of Peterson, but the Swede saw his volley from six yards out brilliantly pushed away by Lukas Lidakevicius.

It looked like Marsh's team now had the initiative but they were pegged back just seconds later when the Yorkshire outfit netted a goal of extraordinary quality.

Clark picked up the ball on the left, exchanged a fortuitous one-two and crashed a stunning shot that seared in off the crossbar.

It brought an end to the flurry of goalmouth activity and it wasn't until Lewis Hatch misjudged the flight of Rose's right-wing cross that there was any danger at either end. Fortunately for the hosts, Clark's looping header was gathered by Stephens with relative ease.

On 40 minutes the Tykes came even closer when Rose was unlucky to see a snapshot rebound off the inside of the post after a free-kick had caused confusion in the Liverpool defence.

The Reds had struggled to put together any sustained periods of pressure but felt they should have had a penalty soon after when Morgan tumbled under a challenge in the middle of the area. The referee waved away the appeals and it looked like the teams would go in all-square at the break until Peterson produced a moment of magic on 45 minutes.

Hatch hoisted a high ball towards the far side of the penalty area where the winger got above his marker to power a fine header into the bottom corner from eight yards out.

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It had been an action-packed first period but with the rain continuing to pour down the second 45 developed into a scrappy affair.

Neither side were able to truly stamp their authority on the game and it wasn't unitl after the hour mark that a half chance fell the way of Barnsley.

Rhys Oates broke through the middle and looked all set to level until Rafferty appeared from nowhere to slide the ball to safety.

The Reds also suffered the blow of seeing goalscorer Peterson helped off the pitch with an ankle injury but should have wrapped up the victory with two chances in quick succession 20 minutes from time.

Morgan was given a free run at goal but opted to try a cute lob that went well wide of goal before Jordan Lussey forced a fine stop out of the Tykes 'keeper with a trademark blockbuster.

The Yorkshire outfit pushed for an equaliser late on but it was Liverpool who looked the more likely and substitute David Moli should have made it count when he wasted a gilt-edged chance.

It would prove to be the pivotal moment in the match as a goalmouth scramble on 94 minutes saw the ball break to Alderson who was left unmarked at the far post to steer home.

Liverpool U18s: Stephens, Hatch, Rafferty, King, Regan, Lussey, Aylmer, Peterson (Moli 64), Sumner (Baio 73), Morgan, Gainford (Quirk 64). Unused subs: Wearing, Wilson.

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