Sheffield United Youth 1, Liverpool Youth 3

Feb 16 2007 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

HOLDERS Liverpool came back from a goal down to power their way into the semi-finals of the E.ON-sponsored FA Youth Cup with a 3-1 quarter-final victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane last night.

Despite falling behind after 20 minutes goals from Ryan Flynn, Ray Putterill and Stephen Darby secured a superb win to set up a two-legged semi-final with Newcastle United next month.

The Liverpool youngsters are looking more confident with each match as they bid to become only the fifth club to win successive Youth Cups and the Anfield side’s third triumph in the prestigious youth tournament’s history.

Coaches John Owens and Steve Heighway had called for a better all-round display than in the fifth round when they just squeezed past Reading 1-0.

And despite the Blades looker sharper at the start, a superb fightback thanks to some excellent football means Liverpool are homing in on a repeat of last year’s final victory over Manchester City.

It was a similarly spirited performance, in the all-yellow strip, as the one in last year’s semi-final second leg against Southampton.

Liverpool’s Danish keeper Martin Hansen was grateful that Sheffield forward Liban Abdi’s free header was straight at him in the opening exchanges. While at the other end Jimmy Ryan was off target from distance as the midfielder from Maghull tried to add to his goals in the previous two rounds against Chelsea and Reading.

Sheffield took the lead on 20 minutes with a long-range strike from full-back Kyle Walker which took a deflection off Robbie Threlfall to give Hansen no chance.

Liverpool started to slowly get back in the match with left-winger Ray Putterill trying his best to fashion an equaliser. He fired wide just after the half-hour mark after a promising run, but soon after the visitors were level.

Falkirk-born midfielder Flynn slid to score after Charlie Barnett’s long-range effort had come back off the post.