[Liverweb] Reserves Match Report

In a game that finished with a spectacular 21 man brawl Liverpool
will be disappointed to come away with only a point. Villa were the
visitors to The Racecourse for the second game this week and
physical is a word you could use to describe their approach. Dirty
is another.

Liverpool fielded a very young side but still had the better chances
in the game. They lined up with a 5-2-1-2 formation. Danny Guthrie
playing in the hole behind Foy and Calliste. The goal scorer on the
night was again Robbie Foy, who has been much improved since his
spell out on loan.

There was a lively start to the game that promised much. Both teams
were looking to have a go and get at each other. The first chance of
the game came from a mistake by Roque. He couldn't find a red shirt
and gave away possession. The highly rated Isaiah Osbourne found
himself in possession twenty yards out but his effort wasn't good
enough and Martin saved with ease.

In the third minute the agenda for the game was set. Lowry hit
Peltier with a terrible late challenge and whilst we were expecting
red all he got was a talking to. Peltier was down for a couple of
minutes but was able to resume. He'd only been back on the pitch two
minutes and was still limping when he made a great tackle and
purposefully directed the ball to Calliste, he moved it on to
Guthrie on the left wing and his wicked cross was volleyed over by
Foy.

Guthrie was linking up with Barragan on the right wing two minutes
later but this time nobody was able to get on the end of Antonio's
cross. After a shaky start Liverpool were starting to look good.
Just after the quarter of an hour mark awarded a free kick twenty
yards out. Guthrie took it and went for a subtle curler. It was
brilliantly executed but the ball didn't do quite enough to come
back in and hit the post.

Villa were still fighting (not literally yet) though and could have
took the lead when Mikaelssón headed wide. As the half drew to a
close they nearly scored when Whittingham hit a great effort from
twenty five yards. Martin looked beaten but similarly to Guthrie's
effort the ball hit the upright.

There was a subdued start to the second half which in hindsight was
the calm before the royal rumble. We spent the time perusing
www.stuffonmycat.com on my mates lap top (there's a cracker on page
2). The game sprung back to life with half an hour to go. Bridges
the Villa number 10 left his foot in on Antwi. It wasn't the first
time he'd had a niggle tonight but this time he ended up worse off.
As Antwi feel his flayling arm hit Bridges in the mouth. As if
Godwin had done it on purpose the short Villa striker kicked him as
he lay on the ground. Again expecting a straight red only a yellow
was produced by referee Harwood.

Liverpool were still edging possession and chances, Guthrie saw a
well hit volley go over and Foy was making a nuisance of himself.
With fifteen minutes to go it was these two players that saw
Liverpool take the lead. Barragan read a pass and intercepted it. He
fed Guthrie who turned and picked out a great run from Foy with the
most exquisite of passes. Foy made no mistake in beating the keeper.

Unfortunately the lead wasn't kept for long. Kabeya beat Godwin
coming in from the right. He then fed Bridges who's charged down
shot fell to Lund who couldn't really miss. Villa were back on level
terms.

It was around now that the game started to get nasty. Osbourne who
didn't live up to the player he is on Football Manager was making it
his business to get in everyone's face, especially Peltiers and it
was bubbling under all around.

As Liverpool broke from a corner Guthrie beat his man but was hacked
down from behind by effeminate substitute Herd. He could easily have
gone but again escaped with a yellow.

In the last of the three minutes of injury time things got very
interesting. Osbourne saw the chance to have a go at Pelts. He came
in with a very late tackle. Peltier had seen it coming but couldn't
get out of the way. He reacted by getting up and squaring up to the
tall midfielder. Before you knew it every player on the pitch with
the exception of the goalkeepers were involved in a WWE style brawl.
Calliste obviously saw the opportunity to outnumber the opposition
and so ran off the bench and got involved too. It was ace!

The referee kept blowing his whistle and the lads kept on scrapping.
I know this sort of thing is not to be encouraged and it's a bit
cliche to talk about the team spirit etc, but these Liverpool lads
were really there for each other.

In the aftermath there were three sendings off. Peltier had to go. I
don't blame him for reacting though. There were also two Villa
players that saw red. Bridges finally got his marching orders and
took an age to leave the pitch. Osbourne was also sent off. He left
the field with some kind words from Robbie Foy, all I caught
was "Y'are! Yer crying lad!". I had to laugh.

This was a great test of the mettle of these youngsters and a great
learning curve. I think they did very well. They weren't intimidated
or put on the back foot, even the smaller lads like Guthrie were
showing for every ball and standing their ground.

MOM. I'll go for Foy. He worked his socks off and took his goal very
well. Nobody had a bad game and I thought Guthrie, Roque and
O'Donnell played very well again.

Team: Martin, Barragan, Smith, Antwi, O'Donnell, Roque, Peltier,
Hobbs (c), Calliste (79 Lindfield), Guthrie, Foy.

Unused subs: Woods, Lancaster, Flynn, Barnett.

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