LFC ACADEMY: Liverpool left to feel frustrated

Oct 30 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

MISSED chances cost Liverpool under-18s the chance to make it two wins in five days as they had to settle for a goalless draw at West Bromwich.

Following on from their 3-0 Premier Academy League victory over Sunderland at Kirkby in midweek, Hugh McAuley’s side were frustrated not to have taken their chances on Saturday.

Although coach McAuley was pleased with his sides’s overall performance

Two goals from David Amoo and another from Nathan Eccleston saw off Sunderland. But despite good performances from Melwood-based players, Spanish starlet Daniel Pachecho and Hungarian striker Krisztian Nemeth, Liverpool couldn’t make it two wins in a week.

Liverpool created a host of chances with Pachecho, Nemeth, Eccleston, Amoo all going close in a one-sided contest.

McAuley said: “We created enough chances to have won very, very comfortably, but we didn’t score. That is the bottom line. We must have created seven or eight one-on-ones with the goalkeeper, but didn’t score.

“We dominated the game, the attitude was very good and we played some really good football.

“We had some Melwood players playing for us and they did very well. They are all good players and I was pleased that it gelled so well. Those lads at Melwood are U18s players and they need to play football. They have to play somewhere and why not for us. We are all at the same club and hopefully we will use them as when they are available.”

Liverpool will be able to add to their attacking threat against Everton this Saturday (kick-off 11am) as German striker Marvin Pourie returns following a three-match ban for his sending-off against Blackburn.

Pourie had been the top scorer before his ban with four goals but he has been overtaken by both Eccleston and Amoo, who have now hit six and five respectively.

LIVERPOOL UNDER-18s (v Sunderland): Bouzanis; Irwin, Kennedy, Ayala, O’Connor; Crowther (Kacaniklic), Highdale, Ajdarevic (Awang), Bruna (Pepper); Amoo, Eccleston.

LIVERPOOL UNDER-18s (v WBA): Bouzanis; Irwin, Ayala, Kennedy, O’Connor; Amoo, Highdale, Ajdarevic, Pachecho; Eccleston, Nemeth (Bruna 60). Subs: Kacaniklic, Hansen, Awang, Parsonage.