Trent Kone-Doherty scored two goals and set up another as Liverpool Under-18s won 3-2 at home to Stoke City on Saturday.
Jayden Danns was also on the scoresheet as the young Reds were twice pegged back before Kone-Doherty scored the rebound for his own saved penalty to clinch all three points as Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s side moved level on points with Sunderland at the top of the U18 Premier League North table.
Liverpool started well at the Academy with Kone-Doherty in particular looking lively as he repeatedly ran at the Potters defence. The winger would have the game’s first shot in anger from one such run, beating his man as he cut inside from the left, before helping to create the opening goal from the Reds’ next attack inside the opening 10 minutes.
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Michael Laffey threaded the ball though to the 16-year-old on the left as he again cut inside before seeing his shot parried away by goalkeeper Tommy Jackson. However, he could only palm it straight to Danns, giving the forward the easiest of tap-ins as he headed home to mark his first start of the season with a maiden goal at U18s level.
The lead did not last long, however, as Stoke captain Nathan Lowe equalised with a superb individual effort. Taking on a defender, the striker cut inside before rolling the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
The young Reds restored their lead midway through the first half as Kone-Doherty scored his first of the day, turning well in midfield to beat a man before carrying the ball forward and drilling home into the bottom corner from distance.
On the opposing flank, Ranel Young nearly created Liverpool’s third with a low cross across the box, only for it to evade two of his team-mates inside the six-yard box.
At the other end, Lowe continued to be a thorn in the Reds’ defence as Fabian Mrozek got down low to keep out one half-volley, before the striker fired harmlessly over the bar when he admittedly had better options to either side.
The Stoke captain would go close twice more after the break as the Potters pushed for an equaliser, with Liverpool struggling as they played into the wind following the restart. Lowe would scuff a shot at Mrozek before heading straight at the goalkeeper when unmarked at the far post.
He would set up the Stoke equaliser, however, on the hour-mark as he played in Ali Hayder who beat Mrozek with a wind-assisted swerving effort from distance. In truth, it had been coming.
Stoke continued to push forward as they looked to take the lead for the first time, only for Liverpool to survive the onslaught before hunting a late winner themselves.
They thought they should have had a penalty after Kone-Doherty was pulled back in the box after a great run forward, while the winger would then fire narrowly wide after skipping past three men when cutting in from the left.
The 16-year-old would be gifted the chance to win the game with 10 minutes left after Young was brought down in the box by goalkeeper Jackson when running onto Danns’ through-ball. Though the shot-stopper guessed correctly to keep out Kone-Doherty’s tame spot-kick, he reacted quickest to slot home the rebound.
Young would waste a shooting opportunity soon afterwards as he delayed shooting in the box, while Jackson would stand tall to deny Francis Gyimah at his near post.
And Liverpool were nearly made to pay as only the woodwork denied Stoke a third equaliser of the game, with Christy Grogan heading against the crossbar at the far post from a free-kick. Meanwhile, Mrozek had to be alert to race off his line and deny Matty Lusakueno when left one-on-one.
There was still time for Kone-Doherty to go in search of a hat-trick, pouncing on a defensive error to run through on goal, only to see his strike across goal blocked superbly by Grogan. Jackson would then deny substitute Keyrol Figueroa when one-on-one in stoppage-time, but it mattered not as Liverpool held on to come out on top in this five-goal thriller.
Liverpool U18s starting XI: Mrozek; Gyimah, Samuels, Hayes-Green, Giblin; Pilling, Laffey, Pennington (Kelly, 71); Young (Gift, 90), Danns (Figueroa, 88), Kone-Doherty.
Unused subs: Hewitson.
