Incisive U18s record victory over Stoke
Goals from Harry Wilson and Will Marsh were enough to earn Liverpool U18s a thoroughly deserved 2-0 victory over Stoke City at the Kirkby Academy on Saturday morning.
An evenly-contested opening half-hour had brought little in the way of clear-cut chances for either team, but the home side had a double opportunity to grasp an advantage on the 30-minute mark.
Trickery from Ryan Kent presented Wilson with the freedom to run in behind the Stoke defence and one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but the Welshman's side-foot to the right was blocked.
The rebound bounced out to Kent and Marsh, with the latter eventually taking control and striking a left-footer from a narrow angle that carried wide of the post to leave the scoreline goalless.
With momentum behind them, the young Reds pushed forward again and Wilson was again the man in the middle when picked out by Kent's cross from the right. However, the winger's shot on the stretch skewed over the crossbar.
The 17-year-old's finest chance then followed, when Marsh delivered a precise pass across the penalty box to his teammate, who had half of the goal to aim at but saw his effort palmed away by the 'keeper.
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In the second half, though, he did find the breakthrough. It was the same trio who combined with a series of beautiful, intricate passes around and inside Stoke territory, ultimately teeing up Wilson to tap into an empty net for the opener.
Marsh was denied a second for Liverpool when his low shot was saved, with Sergi Canos thwarted on the rebound, and the visiting stopper was the difference again moments later as he somehow kept out Kent's attempt at the far post.
But, with 83 minutes on the clock, Marsh sealed the result. Once more, Kent was a central figure in the move, driving forward and assisting his colleague to expertly whip an unstoppable curler into the far corner and conclude a satisfying game for the hosts.
U18s team: Firth, Travis, Hart, Whelan, Polgar, Brimmer, Canos, Chirivella, Marsh (Maxwell), Wilson, Kent. Unused substitutes: Wheeler, Nicholas, Lewis, Johnson.