Substitute Max Woltman earned a late point for Liverpool in Premier League 2 as they drew 1-1 with Everton in the mini Merseyside derby at Southport's Haig Avenue.
Woltman replaced Bobby Clark as the young Reds chased a goal in the second half and was on hand to tap home in the closing stages to cancel out Stanley Mills's early opener.
The draw means Barry Lewtas's side have closed the gap on Crystal Palace in third to four points in Premier League 2 ahead of Saturday's visit from West Ham to the Kirkby Academy.
Everton took the lead after around 10 minutes when Mills lofted a superb finish over Marcelo Pitaluga in the Liverpool goal after a ball over the top from Einar Iversen.
Mills then forced Pitaluga into a save a few minutes later with a header at the back post and it was the Blues who looked most threatening in the early exchanges, despite Ben Doak troubling left-back Ishe Samuels-Smith a number of times.
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Francis Okoronkwo had a great chance to double the advantage after a low cross from Katia Kouyate but the No.9 could only side-foot the chance wide as Everton continued to create the better opportunities.
Okoronkwo almost made it 2-0 when he tried to connect with the ball after Mills's shot had been blocked but the striker couldn't quite get enough on the ball to divert it into the corner as Liverpool survived.
Billy Koumetio came close to prodding home the leveller early into the second half but it was saved by Billy Crellin before Pitaluga bailed out the Reds defender down the other end after a slack pass across goal had gifted a chance to Okoronwko. It was a sloppy error that really should have been punished by Everton.
Doak was denied by Crellin from Koumetio's knock-down moments later as Lewtas's side started to create more in the final third after the hour mark and Sean McAllister was relieved to see his sliced clearance drop just over his own bar as Liverpool almost found a way back into the game in comical fashion.
Lewtas sent on Melkamu Frauendorf for Harvey Blair but it was Everton who had another big chance to extend their lead as Okoronkwo was thwarted once more by Pitaluga.
Woltman was sent on as the game entered the final 10 minutes and had a decent opening to level a few minutes after his introduction. The striker couldn't finish off though as he lifted the ball over the goalkeeper and the crossbar, however.
Everton would finish the game with 10 men after Samuels-Smith was dismissed for a poor challenge on Doak and as Liverpool poured forward in search of a late leveller, they found it via Woltman who rolled it into an empty net after superb work from Owen Beck.
Layton Stewart was demanding a penalty in stoppage time after a smart turn on Reece Welsh but the referee waved it off as the young Reds pushed hard for a late winner.
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