DESPITE firing on all cylinders in the FA Youth Cup, Liverpool under-18s have made a disappointing start to 2010 in the FA Premier Academy League.

A goal eight minutes from time condemned Liverpool to their second successive league defeat of the year as they went down 2-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Kirkby Academy on Saturday.

Rodolfo Borrell’s side were holding on for a point and pressing for a winner but Andre Landall’s strike was enough to give the Midlanders a second victory over Liverpool this season and gain some revenge after Borrell’s side, who knocked them out of the Youth Cup before Christmas.

Wolves started the better and it was no surprise when they took the lead on 14 minutes and the lively Landell looped in a header from Bennett’s left-wing corner.

Liverpool, though, responded well and drew level on 22 minutes when Dalla Valle got in on the end of Christopher Buchtmann’s through-ball to coolly fire home.

Dalla Valle went close to a second equaliser in the dying moments, but Liverpool were condemned to a ninth league defeat.

Borrell’s side, who are bottom of the Group C table, will look to get their league campaign back on track at Manchester United this Saturday (kick-off). They will then resume on the FA Youth Cup trail against Watford in the fifth round clash at Anfield on Monday, February 8.

Victory would set up another home tie in the quarter-finals against either Chelsea or Portsmouth, who play at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

Liverpool’s Academy manager John Owens said: “It’s a tie I’m looking forward to. I saw Watford last season when they took on Birmingham as we were scheduled to play the winners of the tie in the semi-final.”

LIVERPOOL UNDER-18s: Chamberlain, Flanagan, Robinson, Wisdom, Sama, Roddan, Buchtmann, Coady, Dalla Valle, Ince, Ngoo (Adorjan 85). Subs: Ihiekwe, Oldfield, Cooper, Emilsson.