Young Reds suffer Newcastle defeat
There was disappointment for Liverpool U18s on Saturday afternoon as they endured a 3-1 defeat against Newcastle United at the Kirkby Academy.
Neil Critchley's charges matched their visitors until Sean Longstaff struck twice in the space of nine minutes just prior to the interval to piece apart the Reds and establish a two-goal lead.
Corey Whelan, operating as part of a Liverpool back three, ventured forward to connect with Adam Phillips' delivery shortly after half-time to halve Newcastle's advantage.
However, pandemonium ensued in the Reds' penalty area at the other end and, after a goalmouth scramble in which both posts were struck, Stefan Broccoli slammed home his side's third.
Liverpool had a couple of good early chances to strike first. Sam Hart, typically direct as he charged inside from full-back, squared for Wade Maxwell, who couldn't apply a crucial touch. Pressure from Phillips allowed Maxwell another chance, but the youngster fired high over the bar.
Jack Hunter prised apart the Reds' defence with a weighted pass into the path of Louis Johnson and he sped towards goal. Conor Masterson had not given up, though - and he did enough to force Johnson wide with a lunge, before Firth rushed out to save with his feet.
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There was no time to catch breath as the resulting corner came spiraling into a packed Liverpool penalty area and Newcastle's Michael Newberry rose higher than the rest to divert a header goalwards. Johnson reacted and flicked the ball into the back of the net - but he was offside.
Red shirts rushed down the field. Trent Alexander-Arnold slid an incisive pass down the touchline into the feet of Kane Lewis. The full-back squared for Maxwell, whose path was blocked, but there was Phillips, charging into the area, only to lash the loose ball against the post.
Liverpool looked energetic and purposeful. Phillips looked like he could go on to dominate the game with his power and perseverance and he looked eager to charge into space and support Maxwell at every given opportunity. But Newcastle struck twice to wound the young Reds.
Mackenzie Heaney galloped down the left touchline, accepted the ball to feet and aimed a pinpoint pass into penalty area. Longstaff, quieter than his strike-partner Johnson throughout the opening exchanges, showed his cutting edge, drifting into space to nod home.
On 37 minutes, Lewis' pass was seized upon and, within an instant, black-and-white shirts were streaming forward into acres of space. Heaney found Johnson wide to the right, and he struck a low effort at goal. Firth got a touch, but Longstaff arrived to tap into an empty net.
Johnson probably should have made it 3-0 before the interval when Longstaff played him in with a beguiling back-heel inside the box, but the forward was unable to divert beyond Firth. At the other end, Phillips tested Brendan Pearson with a swerving free-kick from range.
Maxwell had a fine opportunity to pull a goal back in the 56th minute. Ovie Ejaria, surged forward out of a deep-lying berth, latched onto a loose ball in the middle of the pitch and threaded into the Scouser's feet. He controlled, but there was Pearson to palm the ball clear.
Within a minute, though, Liverpool had pulled one back. Phillips sent a free-kick bobbling into the penalty area from out on the right-hand side and there was Whelan, the centre-back, arriving at the near post to steer the ball beyond the Newcastle goalkeeper and halve the deficit.
But chaos ensued in the Liverpool box. Lewis Suddick crossed, Longstaff's header beat Firth but struck the post. Hart scooped off the line but straight to Suddick, who rattled the other post and when the ball finally broke clear, Broccoli remained composed to fire home.
Liverpool did not give up. Critchley switched Lewis Travis on for Lewis and Callum Nicholas in place of Maxwell and within a minute of being on the field, Nicholas was arriving at the far post to steer Ejaria's pass goalwards, but just off target.
Nicholas was lively and the Reds persevered until the final whistle. Longstaff spurned the chance to claim his hat-trick when he was put through on goal late on, but in the end, Newcastle maintained their two-goal lead to secure three points.
Liverpool U18s: Firth, Lewis (Travis), Hart, Brewitt, Masterson, Whelan, Chirivella, Alexander-Arnold, Maxwell (Nicholas), Ejaria, Phillips. Unused substitutes: Jackson, Polgar.