[Liverweb] Wolves Academy Report

Liverweb Academy Match Report - Saturday 25th Feb 2006

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Liverpool 1 Wolves 2

Liverpool : Lancaster, Holmes, Threlfall, Woods(C), Darby, Smith,
Ryan, Barnett, Barratt, Wignall, Nardiello

Subs Used : Lindfield, Platt and Flynn for Barnett, Nardiello and
Wignall (57)

Subs Unused : Roberts

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The Reds under 18's returned to league action on Saturday morning
but fell to a 2-1 defeat against Wolves. On a typical windyday in
Kirkby the Reds were forced to finish the match with ten men due to
a bad injury sustained by Francis Smith ater all the changes had
been made. The initial worry on the sidelines that it may be broken
though were wrong thankfuly but a very bad fall on the ankle were
diagnosed.

The REds got the first half underway with the wind behind their
backs but never realy took full advantage. Wolves just couldn't
clear their own haf much of the time with clearances such was the
wind. Many a time you just watched the ballgo so far forard get
stopped by wind and then go backwards. On six minutes Barratt went
on a run through the midfield but his shot went jut wide of the post.

At the other end a minute later Captain Calum Woods was on hand wel
to cut out a Wolves cross after Barnett had given possession away on
the halfway line. Jimmy Ryan blasted over on twelve minutes when he
should have done better. The Reds wer etrying to play long balls all
the time in the wind towards Nardiello and it simply wasn't working.
Nardiello was being defended really well, perhaps a bit too tightly
on occassions but invariable he lost possession.

On sixteen minutes Ryan Wignall nearly got in for the Reds as he
charged the keeper down. As he got to the keeper he just missed a
tackle which would have seen him with an open goal. Franny Smith
shot wide on twenty six minutes after the midfield opened up for him
and twelve minutes later Barratt cut inside and at least made the
keeper work this time but his shot was easy for him at his near post.

Wolves opened the scoring five minutes before half time with a goal
that really shouldn't have stood. A ball was played down the
sidewhere I was standing and clealy curled out before going in. So
clear it virtually went around the linesman to make the decision
easier.However the linesman was too busy checking offside that he
missed this. Wolves crossed to the back post where poor defending
left Hughes unmarked and after his first shot was well saved by
Lancaster he scored with the second.

Half time saw Wolves bring on Ferran for Stewart but the Reds made
no changes and now had to play into the wind. Now the Reds seemed
better adapted in the second half to use the wind. Their play was
low and precise to negate any wind that blew. This was better stuff
but they just couldn't get through the Wolves back line.

Twelve minutes in to the hal the Reds made a triple change. Platt
LIndfield and Flynn replaced Barnett, Nardiello and Wignall. It was
a good move and meant the Reds had two distinct forwards on now.
Within a minute Barratt sent a cross in but Platt skewed a shot just
wide. Jimmy Ryan shot over the bar on sixty two when he should have
done better after Woods set him up nicely on the edge of the box.

On sixty five minutes the Reds were forced to play with ten men.
Thomas France clattered into Smith who went down and didn't move.
The tackle was duly give a yelow card which by academy standards is
quite rare so tells you how strong he was in the challenge. After a
minute or so you realised this was quite bad as they called for
extra help. The stretcher buggy was called on and Smith was driven
off with the medical staff. John Owens was now forced in to a slight
re-shuffle which saw Platt float between midfield and the front line.

To the Reds' great credit the y were level four minutes later. Paul
Barratt whipped in a corner which Woods knocked down and Conal Platt
slammed home from three yards. The Reds then went on to be the
better side despite the numerical disadavantage.

Just as you wondered if the Reds could grab a late winner in the
game they were hit by a sucker punch from Wolves. Wolves moved down
their right hand side and put in a great cross where the number 10
was left un marked in the area and gave Lancaster no chance with the
effort.

The Reds tried hard to get the game back again. Platt fed Ryan down
the right on eighty two minutes but his cross was cleared for a
corner which Platt just missed out on connecting with. A minute
later and Jordan Holmes really should have hit he target when set
free in the box. Sadly it was a defenders shot though and it blazed
way over the bar. It just wasn't the Reds' day and ultimately the
injury probably prevented them just pushing on that bit more and
after five extra minutes of play the ref blew for time. It probably
blows out any faint hope of winning the group for the Reds as well.

MotM : Paul Barratt - worked hard thoughout the game for the Reds
and got in to some good positions at times as well.

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