It was a tough weekend for Liverpool's main Academy teams as both the U21s and the U18s fell to defeat
Liverpool U21 head coach Rob Page (left) and U18 head coach Simon Wiles (right)
Liverpool U21 head coach Rob Page (left) and U18 head coach Simon Wiles (right)
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A tough weekend for the Liverpool senior team merely echoed the fortunes of the Academy sides after a testing series of results. After the under-21s were beaten at West Ham United on Friday evening, the following day the U18s came out very much on the wrong end of a nine-goal thriller at home to Nottingham Forest.
Despite fighting back from two goals down to level by half-time, Simon Wiles's side ultimately went down 6-3 to the Tricky Trees to slip down to ninth in the 14-team U18 Premier League North with a third successive league defeat.
After a Riko Robinson strike and Ethan Broomes' screamer had put the visitors in control, 15-year-old winger Josh Abe continued his rise to prominence with another goal when netting at the far post from Lamore Lee Forrester's low cross.
Alvin Ayman, the 18-year-old playing in a more recognised midfield role having featured regularly at left-back this campaign, drew Liverpool level in first-half injury time with a fine 20-yard effort, but the young Reds fell apart in the 17 minutes after half-time with a succession of defensive errors allowing Robinson to complete a hat-trick while Scott Hamilton and Fuad Smith also netted.
There was a consolation for Liverpool late on when 17-year-old substitute Josh Sonni-Lambie scored his 11th goal of the season with a neat finish after some good individual play.
Meanwhile, the U21s were well beaten 3-0 at West Ham on Friday night at Rush Green Training Ground to end a three-game unbeaten run in Premier League 2.
After a goalless first half, a mistake by centre-back Amara Nallo five minutes after the break invited Callum Marshall to slide in the opener, with later goals from Joshua Ajala and Mohamadou Kante sealing a defeat that could have been heavier but for Liverpool goalkeeper Kornel Misciur saving a penalty from Jethro Medine.
Remarkably, Liverpool U21s don't play again in Premier League 2 until January 9 next year at Norwich City, while the U18s are next in action with a Premier League Cup tie at Newcastle United on Saturday, November 22 (kick-off 11am).
LIVERPOOL U21s (4-2-3-1): Misciur; Ramsay, Lucky, Nallo, Ewing (Bradshaw 62); Laffey, Pilling (Pinnington 85); Morrison, Gordon, Kone-Doherty (Onanuga 62); Figueroa (Davidson 46). Sub: Poytress.
LIVERPOOL U18s (4-2-3-1): Hall; O’Connor, Cisse, Owen (Hickman 29); Powney Wain (Ekiugbo 75); Murray-Holme, Ayman; Abe, Inglethorpe, Yeguo; Lee Forrester (Sonni-Lambie 60). Subs: Bernard, Farkas.