[lfc-news] Academy: Positive news at last for Owens - Post

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Liverpool Daily Post, 3 Dec 2004
Positive news at last for Owens
Academy football with Chris Wright, Daily Post

DEFENDERS Jordan Holmes and Adam Hitchen make their return after injury as
Liverpool under-18s aim to come back after the break with a victory at
Stoke City tomorrow (kickoff 11am).

John Owens has been in a similar situation to first-team manager Rafael
Benitez in that he has had to cope with several long-term injuries and a
smaller-than-usual squad.

But the return of England youth international Holmes and Hitchen this
weekend, both of whom will make their first appearance of the season, is a
positive sign.

Both players will play 45 minutes tomorrow as they look to regain full
match fitness ahead of the FA Youth Cup third round tie against Wealdstone
which will now be played at Anfield on Tuesday, December 21.

Owens said: "We have had a similar spate of long-term injuries as the first
team.

"It is a bit awkward for the players because they are meant to be starting
their career as a footballer and suddenly that is taken away from them.

"So it is good to get two players back and hopefully they can come back
into the game at Stoke."

Liverpool will hope to continue their recent improved form against Stoke.
Although they were beaten in their last game before last weekend's
in-service training weekend break, the performance was good.

Owens said: "We had a practice game on Saturday, so we did have game
although it wasn't official. It was the U16s and U18s mixed together.

"It kept the sequence of games going.

"But we are looking to build on the performances we have had. We had a good
game at Crewe and I felt we should have won that."

Apart from long-term injury victims Peltier, Mark Roberts (knee) and
Francis Smith (foot), Owens has a full squad to choose from.


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