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Title: Liverpool U18's 1 Crewe U18's 2
Post by: liverweb on October 15, 2006, 10:18:58 am
Liverweb Match Report: Liverpool U18's 1 Crewe U18's 2

The Reds yet again were left to rue missed chances on the pitch. The Reds missed countless chances to put this game to bed and the next three but were left to pay the price at the end as Crewe won the match with a strike ten minutes from time.

Crewe got the game underway attacking the academy end in the first half and it was the away side who started the better. The Reds back line was on alert at every moment in the first few minutes. After just two minutes captain Jay spearing was forced to fling himself in front of an incoming shot.

On five minutes Bailey got in behind the Reds' back line but with Just Roberts to beat he put his shot past him but also past the far post. Spearing went mad at the official and as a result was spoken to by the referee.

Crewe took the lead after just eight minutes when Smith jumped well at the back and somehow squeezed a header in at the post. The goal sparked the Reds in to action and they started to play some really good football.

The one problem the Reds have had though all season is putting the ball in the net and that proved the case today. On nine minutes trialist Morgan Evans missed a header at the back post. A minute later and Pringle somehow managed to miss after Evans had squared a ball to him.

On eighteen minutes Putterill shot just past the post after good work by O'Connor down the right. The Reds were really having a go at Crewe now and all the play was in that half. We just had to score though and make the pressure count.

On nineteen minutes Lappin picked up a booking as he was adjudged to have fouled Pringle. The ref though clearly said that this was for persistent fouling. On twenty two minutes the Reds hit the post. Burns played a ball to Pringle who in turn played in Putterill. His shot beat the keeper but hit the inside of the post and went back in to the keepers grateful arms.

On twenty four minutes O'Connor crossed to the far post and Evans somehow managed to head the ball right across the goal and out for goal kick. A minute later Pringle shot wide of the target and then Putterill forced the keeper in to a low save.

Finally on twenty nine minutes the Reds scored and it was Lee Woodward who grabbed the goal. Good work on the right by Evans saw him pick out Woodward who made a late run to the box and he lifted a shot on the turn. The shot looped over the keeper and fell kindly in to the back of the net. The boys showed huge relief at the goal finally coming.

The Reds continued to press forward and Pringle saw a shot go just over the bar on thirty one. Putterill hit a shot just over the bar five minutes later but Crewe gradually eased their way back in to the game.

On thirty nine minutes the trainer was needed as Spearing came off worst in a 50-50 challenge. Spearing insisted that the player stamped on his knee bit it looked a fair challenge for me which he just happened to come out badly in. It didn't stop Spearing complaining though.

The second half saw both sides out and lined up ready for action well before the referee arrived. The Reds got the half underway again with no changes made.

Ray Putterill beat the offside trap four minutes in but after turning in the box he shot over the bar. Crewe made their first change on fifty minutes when Moore replaced Smith. On fifty two minutes Putterill threaded a ball to Woodward but his shot on the turn was saved by the keeper low down.

Crewe rarely got going in the second half so it was a rare save on fifty six minutes from Roberts. The Reds though didn't quite force the issue quite as much as the first though. They didn't use enough width to their play in this half which was a shame when Evans and O'Connor had he beating of their markers.

Michael Collins replaced Putterill on sixty five in an attempt to change things around a bit but he didn't really act as effectively as Putterill had.

The Reds were then made to pay for not putting the game to bed when Crewe scored a second in the eightieth minute. Westwood was played through and he raced on and managed to beat Roberts from the edge of the box. It was a cruel blow but one that has come all to common this season for the Reds.

Despite going behind again the Reds pushed n again and looked to score their second but it wasn't to be. Pringle shot just wide on eighty one and then he curled a shot past he keeper only to see it hit the bar on eighty four.

All in all a disappointing result but one in which the Reds should have won. They created chances galore but for some reason that ball just isn't going in at the moment in any frequency whatsoever. Perhaps one day everything will work and we'll get a bag full on the same day but for now it's just not happening despite all the efforts on goal

Man of the Match: Michael Burns - the converted left winger is developing in to a decent left back these days and today he played really well. He supported the front line really well but also defended really well also. It comes on the back of a good performance last week as well at Everton.

Liverpool: Roberts, Awang, Burns, Behan, Spearing (capt.), Woodward, Evans (Parsonage 85), Wignall, Pringle, Putterill (Collins 65), O'Connor

Unused Subs: MacDonald, Scott
Goal: Woodward (29)

Crewe: Ellison, Bancroft, Clements (Courtney 62), Danville, Lappin, Smith (Moore 50), McHugh, Murphy, Ravenhill (Farquarharson 70), Westwood, Bailey

Unused Subs: Evans, Smith
Goals: Smith ( 8), Westwood (80)

Kick Off: 11.00am, The Academy.

© Andy Philip, Liverweb 2006

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