Premier U-21 League First Division 2014-15
             Langtree Park, St. Helens.
           Friday 31st October 2014, 7pm.

             LIVERPOOL    v      SPURS
             (All Red)       (White/Blue)
              4-2-3-1            4-3-3

                2(1)              1(1)

              Danny Ward  1 Thomas Glover
           Kevin Stewart  2 Alex McQueen
             Joe Maguire  3 Connor Ogilvie
           Daniel Cleary  4 Filip Lesniak
           Lloyd Jones(C) 5 Dominic Ball(C)
         Jordan Rossiter  6 Cameron Carter-Vickers
            Harry Wilson  7 Emmanuel Sonupe
         Jordan Williams  8 Harry Winks
         Jerome Sinclair  9 Daniel Akindayini
               Ryan Kent 10 Joshua Onomah
              Brad Smith 11 William Miller

   Daniel Trickett-Smith 12 Shayon Harrison
               (7)61Mins    (7)65Mins
      Lawrence Vigouroux 13 Jonathan Miles
       Cameron Brannagan 14 Joseph Pritchard
               (4)77Mins    (3)76Mins
             Marc Pelosi 15 Ismail Azzaoui
               (3)61Mins    (9)79Mins
          Connor Randell 16 

Scorer:- 
          Kent 27           Miller 40
          Rossiter 52 

Coaches:-  
          M. Beale          U. Ehiogu 

It was a mild evening for Spurs' visit to St. Helens for a mid-table clash that featured two young teams. Both sides included players that played in the Academy fixture last season stepping up a level. There was only a small crowd and no mention of the officials.

Spurs lined up with Glover in goal, behind Ball and Carter-Vickers with McQueen at right back and Ogilvie on the left. Lesniak anchored the midfield with Winks and Onomah, while Akindayini led the line with Sonupe on his right and Miller on his left. In the Liverpool side was Kevin Stewart who was in the Spurs team last season and Lawrence Vigouroux also moved from the visitors' bench into the home dug-out.

Spurs attacked the West end in the first half, which saw Liverpool start strongly almost scoring in the second minute when Sinclair ran onto a Williams through ball only to see his effort come back off the far post. Spurs responded minutes later with a Miller drive just over the bar having being played through by a neat pass by Onomah.

Following a left side corner, the ball was lofted back in from the right which Glover came for, but missed. Two Liverpool players had chances to score but both mis-hit their efforts. Glover saved well from a fierce drive by Kent a minute later, diving to his left.

The game was being played at pace and switched from end to end as both sides tried to get behind the defences, which were playing well. Kent fired wide, before Ball was caught in possession by Kent and gave away a free kick just outside the area. Kent hit the kick around the wall into the bottom right corner (goalie's left) for a deserved lead.

Spurs responded well, getting more into the game as the half progressed with Miller firing wide from a Sonupe cross. Onomah lifted the ball over the defence for McQueen, running in behind, to collect and hit. Ward saved brilliantly, turning the ball round his right post to keep the defender's effort out.

Wilson got behind the defence to beat Glover, but saw the ball hit the same post as Sinclair. Rossiter tried his luck from range but Glover saved before Spurs equalised. McQueen got down the right and his low cross found Miller at the near post. The Spurs wideman mis-hit his first attempt, but scored with his second. Miller drew a save from Ward as Spurs finished the half strongly.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which continued at the pace of the first. From a corner Onomah played the ball in for Sonupe to fire wide. A ball over the top found Akindayini clear on the right. He slipped past the keeper, before going for goal, only to see Cleary get a foot to it diverting the ball onto the near post and away to the relief of the defender. It was an important block, as two minutes later the Reds took the lead. From a throw-in Smith whipped in a low cross that Rossiter met in the six yard box to score.

Akindayini headed over from a cross by Winks, while Sinclair drove wide from another Smith cross, as the game continued to be end to end. Winks tried his luck from distance but the ball went wide. Sinclair headed wide from a Stewart cross before Glover saved from Pelosi.

Spurs replaced Sonupe with Harrison for his debut at this level, as Spurs changed to 4-4-2. Pritchard replaced Ogilvie and went to right back with McQueen moving over to left. Spurs' final change saw Azzaoui coming on for his first appearance, in place of Akindayini on the left. Harrison fired wide, having been put through by Onomah as Spurs finished strongly. The last chance came when McQueen got down the left and whipped in a low hard cross that went across the six yard box without anyone getting a touch.

This was a good open game of football played at pace for much of the time. Liverpool started the stronger but Spurs came back as time went on. Both sides showed good attacking play but also good defensive qualities. Carter-Vickers hardly put a foot wrong in his second game at the back. The win moved Liverpool above Spurs in the table.

Spurs do not play again until the 1st December when they play leaders Manchester City who beat Everton 3-1 to go above United. That game will be played at Stevenage.

Ray

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