Liverpool FC: U18s hit five to keep Youth Cup quest alive
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Author: Phil Reade --Liverpool U18s continued their campaign for FA Youth Cup glory by clinching an impressive 5-2 victory over Derby County at the Deva Stadium on Wednesday night. Jerome Sinclair and Harry Wilson both netted twice, while Sergi Canos chipped in with a calm finish to earn Neil Critchley's side a place in the fifth round of the tournament. The young Reds can now look forward to a home clash with Birmingham City after weathering an early storm against the Rams to run out comfortable winners.
It took the Reds five minutes to break the deadlock. Wilson hooked a clever free-kick towards goal, which beat Eric Behrens, the opposition goalkeeper, and deflected off the post into the path of Sinclair, who was left to apply the simplest of finishes from close range. It was first blood to Liverpool, but Derby were undeterred and their pressure forced the Reds into an error at the back which allowed Charles Vernam, the Rams' ruthless No.9, the chance to seize possession and drill a low effort past Andrew Firth to equalise.
The players were following the pre-match script. This fixture yielded a breath-taking 5-5 stand-off in the league back in November - and here, in the bitter January cold, both sides looked set to trade blows incessantly, back and forth, once again.
And then chaos ensued. Derby, flowing forward, played through Liverpool's defensive ranks like water through a sieve; a flurry of flicks releasing Mo Adams, who slipped the ball sideways to Vernam and he stood poised with the goal at his mercy. In raking his shot beyond Firth and across the face of goal, the Derby man afforded Pedro Chirivella time and opportunity to hurl his body into the ball's path and block the shot on the line. But the pandemonium was just getting started.
Adams, the instigator, went tumbling to the floor as he vied with Firth for the free ball and the referee cut through the melee by penalising the Liverpool 'keeper and signalling a penalty for Derby. Firth was furious, bellowing his distaste - but he had to regain composure, and fast. That Firth was able to do so was vital for the outcome of the game, as when Vernam drove the penalty goalwards, the Liverpool man was there to keep the ball out...
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