Academy: Liverpool fail to build on first win - Post

Liverpool Daily Post, 21 Sept 2004
Liverpool fail to build on first win
Academy Football with Chris Wright, Daily Post

LIVERPOOL under-18s failed to build on their first win of the season last
week as they lost 4-2 to Newcastle United at Kirkby on Saturday.

John Owens's side have won just once in their opening five FA Premier
Academy League matches this season. And having looked like they had turned
the corner with their first clean sheet of the season, Owens' side again
paid for their defensive frailties.

Liverpool have yet to win a home match at Kirkby so far and they were 1-0
down in eight minutes when they failed to clear a cross from the right
properly.

Karl Noon scored his second goal in a week to bring the scores level on 20
minutes after midfielder Paul Barratt had gone on a surging run to give the
forward the opportunity to slot home.

Liverpool keeper Paul Willis had to make a couple of saves to keep out the
visitors. But two Newcastle goals in a minute at the start of the second
half meant Liverpool faced an uphill battle. The first was a disputed
penalty after Danny O'Donnell was adjudged to have brought down the
Newcastle forward.

Then straight from the resumption Liverpool lost possession and were caught
napping as Newcastle scored again.

Captain O'Donnell did manage to pull a goal back with a header after the
Newcastle keeper and defender collided trying to clear Ryan Wilkie's
corner. But despite further attempts to grab an equaliser Newcastle added a
fourth in the final minute.

Coach Owens said: "It was disappointing but they are top of the North East
League and haven't lost a game - so it was a tough match. We did okay in
the first half, then the two goals in the second half finished us off.

"We were unhappy with the penalty decision because we felt he went to
ground easily. It was an innocuous challenge and he appeared to be looking
for the penalty.

"But we were annoyed with ourselves because 13 seconds from our kickoff
they had scored again. Most of our players had spread to receive the ball
and that left our two centre-backs on their own."

He added: "Some of the stuff we played was good. Adam Hammill showed a lot
of skill and Paul Barratt did well running at them. But generally we are
looking to better than that defensively.

"We need to work on that side because it is very rare you let four goals in
and win."

LIVERPOOL UNDER-18s: Willis, Peltier, D Smith, J Smith, O'Donnell, Barratt,
Townley, Guthrie, Noon, Hammill, Wilkie. Subs: M Roberts, Lancaster,
Frayne, Pringle.