U18s' derby: Report, photos and action
Jerome Sinclair's late penalty proved nothing more than a consolation goal as Liverpool U18s slipped to a 3-1 defeat against Everton on Tuesday.
The Blues hit three without reply at Finch Farm as Ryan Ledson, George Green and Courtney Duffus found the back of the net against Neil Critchley's side.
Sinclair kept his composure from the spot in the 83rd minute to hammer home from 12 yards, but there was no comeback on the cards and Everton clinched the three points.
The win takes Kevin Sheedy's outift to the summit of the Barclays U18 Premier League - and on the day, the young Blues turned in a performance befitting of league leaders.
In possession they were calm and composed, keen to play out from the back, while without the ball they hounded Liverpool from the first whistle.
They limited Harry Wilson to a tame, curling strike throughout the opening exchanges, after Ryan Kent executed a nutmeg in the middle of the park and galloped forward in trademark fashion.
The Blues also carved the first meaningful chance of the game when Duffus lashed across the face of goal from the right and Joe Williams smashed over the bar from close range.
But the opener was imminent. Calum Dyson manoeuvred into space out on the right and crossed for Ledson, who out-jumped Daniel Cleary and Connor Randall to steer home.
Everton strengthened their hold on the tie minutes prior to the interval, but not before Liverpool passed up a golden opportunity to draw level.
The lively Wilson sent blue shirts back-peddling with his neat close-control before slipping an incisive pass between the lines to Kent, who was foiled by Russell Griffiths in the opposition net.
Moments later, Everton were awarded a free-kick out on the right touchline and their captain, Green, chose to send a shot crashing towards goal, which Andrew Firth was unable to hold and the home side took a 2-0 lead.
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Liverpool played with much more purpose after the restart, surging forward and pouncing on every second ball; however, they were cut down in full flow as Duffus grabbed a deserved goal.
Dyson provided the perfect delivery once again as he curled from deep towards the far post, where Duffus soared above the Reds' defence to power home Everton's third.
Tempers frayed in typical derby fashion as Williams was rightly shown a straight red card for his dangerous tackle on Pedro Chirivella, who was booked for his reaction and then replaced by Alex O'Hanlon.
Sergi Canos came on for Adam Phillips and with 15 minutes left on the clock, the Spaniard drew a superb save from the Everton stopper, who palmed a thunderous strike onto the bar.
Tom Brewitt saw his effort cleared off the line, Kent flashed over from the edge of the box and the Reds pushed hard to find a consolation goal.
Seven minutes from time, they got what their efforts deserved when Harry Charsley handballed in the area and Sinclair stepped up to fire into the roof of the net for 3-1.
Liverpool U18s: Firth, Randall, Maguire, Cleary, Brewitt, Chirivella (O'Hanlon), Wilson, Phillips (Canos), Sinclair, Ojo, Kent.