David Amoo to rescue in deserved Liverpool under-18s victory

Sep 18 2007 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

GOALS from Ryan Crowther and David Amoo gave Liverpool under-18s back-to-back victories as they beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 at the Kirkby Academy on Saturday.

It was only the club’s third match of the Premier Academy League, but they seem to have banished the bitter memories of their opening day defeat to Aston Villa.

Despite a slowish start Hugh McAuley’s side eventually ran out well-deserved winners.

Liverpool had first-half chances with Marvin Pourie twice being denied when through on the keeper and Gary MacKay-Steven also going close.

But it wasn’t until after the break that they took control. Around the hour mark Crowther cut inside from the left and fired an excellent strike past the Wednesday keeper.

Substitute Nathan Eccleston had a couple of chances to increase the lead as Liverpool created several opportunities.

The second goal finally came with 15 minutes remaining when former Millwall striker Amoo played a good one-two with Michael Collins and fired into the bottom corner.

Coach McAuley said: “In the first half was ‘even-Steven’ and Sheffield Wednesday kept the ball quite well. I thought even though we didn’t pass the ball very well in the first half we created three good chances and could have gone ahead.

“In the second half we upped the tempo a bit more. We passed the ball a lot better and pressed the ball a lot better when we lost possession and as a consequence of that we dominated the game for long periods and created good chances.”

He added: “In the end we finished comfortable winners. Overall it was a decent performance”

Liverpool go to Middlesbrough this Saturday (kick-off 11am), looking to continue their recent good form. McAuley said: “I think we will always create chances with the players we have got. But we have to work on the defensive side.”

LIVERPOOL U18s: Bouzanis, Awang, Kennedy, Kelly, O’Connor; Crowther (Kacaniklic 70), Irwin, Highdale, MacKay Steven (Eccleston 45); Pourie (Collins 80), Amoo. Subs: Parsonage, Scott.