Liverpool Under-18s scored a stoppage-time penalty as they recovered a two-goal deficit to claim a share of the spoils in a six-goal thriller against Derby County on Saturday.
Early goals from Riley Moloney and Bayo Fapetu had left the young Reds with a mountain to climb, and although they responded well with the impressive Kieran Morrison halving the deficit from distance, a spectacular third from Dajaune Brown stopped their hopes of a comeback in its tracks before the break.
However, substitute Jayden Danns, son of former Premier League midfielder Neil Danns, made an immediate impact from the bench after the interval, scoring Liverpool’s second from close-range moments after coming on before stepping up to score the equaliser from the spot.
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The 3-3 draw would admittedly see the young Reds’ winless run in the U18 Premier League extended to eight matches. But having lost six of those games with their last victory at this level coming at home to Stoke City back in October, and having also exited both the FA Youth Cup and U18 Premier League Cup during this disappointing run, a resilient Liverpool can be proud after their efforts earned them a deserved point against the Rams.
Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s side started slowly at the Academy and fell behind early on as left-back Riley Moloney burst into the box and finished well past goalkeeper Fabian Mrozek in the 12th minute.
Worse was to come six minutes later as the Reds left centre-back Bayo Fapetu unmarked from a corner, gifting him the simplest of headed finishes as he rose highest to double Derby’s lead.
Yet despite their sluggish start, Liverpool responded well and started to control the play only to be found lacking with their final ball, not aided by their lack of a natural number nine with winger Ranel Young instead leading the attack. As a result, while the Reds would repeatedly look to get Trent Kone-Doherty on the ball and encourage him to beat his man, his subsequent crosses were easily cleared.
Liverpool did halve the deficit on the half-hour mark at least, albeit in fortuitous circumstances, as the lively Kieran Morrison, catching the eye further forward as a number 10, tried his luck from distance. His strike took a heavy deflection, with goalkeeper Josh Shattell unable to get across his line quickly enough to stop it nestling in the bottom corner.
Encouraged by his goal, Morrison would try his luck again from distance soon after gliding past a defender, only this time to see his strike fly over the bar. Meanwhile, Charlie Hayes-Green saw a good chance to level the scores go begging as he connected with a Josh Davidson cross at the far post, but was unable to direct his header goalwards.
The young Reds were made to rue such a miss moments later as Derby extended their lead with a stunning goal on the counter-attack. Running onto a long ball, Cameron Ashia got in behind Francis Gyimah before turning the full-back and whipping in a cross, with Dajaune Brown on hand to score a stunning volley.
Provider almost turned goalscorer soon after as Ashia got in behind Gyimah again, only this time Mrozek was on hand to save well with his legs at his near post.
Bridge-Wilkinson made a double-change in defence at the break as Lucas Pitt and Nathan Giblin replaced Niall Osborne and Gyimah, while Danns would join the action himself in place of Cody Pennington just before the hour-mark.
And with the defence shored up as a result, the changes had the desired effect as Liverpool looked to recover from 3-1 down.
Now boasting a traditional striker in attack, Danns wasted no time in halving the deficit once more, stroking home from close-range from a corner with virtually his first kick of the game.
Kone-Doherty would then nearly equalise from the Reds’ next attack, only to see Shattell gather his looping header at the second attempt.
Derby would push to extend their lead further, with Carlos Richards shooting narrowly wide of the near post after cutting inside, before Hayes-Green denied Lennon Wheeldon a clear run on goal with a stunning tackle when the last man. It would prove to be a vital challenge as Liverpool huffed and puffed in search of an equaliser.
The visitors could tell they were on the ropes and a number of their players cheered after a tackle in the box and the subsequent clearance in the dying embers as if they had scored a goal. Alas such celebrations proved to be premature as the Reds were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.
Sensing the opportunity for one last attack, Mrozek picked out Young with one long kick back upfield, with the forward turning well in the box before being tripped to win a penalty.
Having already scored once, Danns wasn’t going to say no to a welcome brace from the bench as he sent Shattell the wrong way to earn his side a deserved draw. And while the Under-18s’ search for a league victory continues, come the final whistle this was definitely a point won having fought back to snatch a share of the spoils at the death in such dramatic circumstances.
Liverpool Under-18s starting XI: Mrozek; Davidson, Osborne (Pitt, 46), Hayes-Green, Gyimah (Giblin, 46); Laffey, Pennington (Danns, 58), Morrison; Gift, Young, Kone-Doherty.
Unused subs: Hewitson, Pinnington.
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