After a string of first-half goals, the Reds took three separate leads at the Eagles’ academy, with Trent Kone-Doherty, Kieran Morrison and Tommy Pilling their scorers.
Responses from Asher Agbinone and Zach Marsh were split between Liverpool’s three goals on Monday afternoon, before Jemiah Umolu’s late second half forced Jemiah Umolu into sharing the points.
Liverpool saw the goal in the first minute, with Palace guilty of overplaying on their own territory. Tom Hill, however, did not make perfect contact with his final shot and it was blocked.
The home side calmed down after that, but almost gave the visitors the lead again within 10 minutes.
The
Dylan Reid’s header towards his goalkeeper was short and Kone-Doherty scored the first goal. Louie Moulden, however, prevented him from touching and the referee considered that a deviation of his arm
was accidental.
The Reds took the lead in the 14th minute. An attack down the right side brought a ball into the box, which took a slight deflection from Kone-Doherty, who managed to convert straight from a few yards out.
There were almost two points soon after, thanks to some fine handling from Hill in the penalty area, turning Isaac Mabaya’s forward pass into a shooting opportunity, but he dragged it just wide next to the right post.
A lively period of play followed, with two goals for each team before halftime.
Palace managed to equalize for the first time when their pressure caused Liverpool problems and Marsh managed to beat Agbinone to head past Harvey Davies from the edge of the box.
THE
Barry Lewtas’ Reds immediately took the lead on a counter-attack from the halfway line. Morrison was fed into the right channel and he leapt forward before sending a low, crisp strike over Moulden and inside the post.
more distant.
A third goal in the space of six minutes saw the hosts level. Again, this was down to their harassment: Hindolo Mustapha took the ball away from Pilling and Marsh landed it with clinical style.
But with 40 points on the clock, the Reds took the lead for the third time. A high turnover in the Palace half this time allowed Liverpool to quickly move play from Hill to Morrison and through the middle, where Pilling scrambled to get going.
The open nature of the game continued beyond the interval and Moulden had to get his hands on a Kone-Doherty effort, which was palmed away by Hill on the left of the goal.
Ranel Young then sent a curler inches wide of the wrong side of the post as the Reds threatened to take a two-goal lead for the first time.
Excellent goalkeeping from Davies thwarted Umolu as the Eagles’ pressure mounted, with the Liverpool stopper coming off his line to block a kick.
But Palace equalized for the third time of the day in the 75th minute. A smooth move down the left flank allowed Marsh to cut the ball back into the box for Umolu to finish down
.
The hosts looked most likely to prevail for the rest of the game, with Davies making a vital save low to his right after Sean Grehan’s downward header.
Josh Davidson produced an outstanding block at the back post to divert the Rio Cardines attack over the target and Davies pushed Marsh’s effort back one on one, while at the other end, the drive from Morrison was stopped by Moulden at the last opportunity.
Team
of
Liverpool : Davies, Mabaya (Lucky, 77 ans), Davidson, Pinnington, Jonas, Laffey (Balagizi, 69 ans), Morrison, Hill, Young (Figueroa, 84 ans), Pilling, Kone-Doherty (Kelly,
77 ans).
Unused subtitle: Misciur.
Buts : Kone-Doherty (14), Morrison (30), Pilling (40).
Next step
There is now a break in competition for the U21s, with their next assignment taking place on Sunday January 12
.
West Ham United travel to Kirkby Academy for this Premier League 2 match, which is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. GMT.
