Liverpool U18s suffered a frustrating 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at the Kirkby Academy on Saturday morning.
Steve Cooper's side were boosted by the inclusion of Jordon Ibe and Jerome Sinclair, and they played some good football at times but in the end a succession of missed chances cost them dear.
Substitute Connor Randall netted a late consolation for the Reds, and they were also boosted by the return of the influential Jack Dunn who made his return from injury in the second half.
Cooper told Liverpoolfc.com: "It was a frustrating day for us really. We created some good chances in the game but just couldn't finish them off.
"We played some good football at times but it was just one of those days in the end."
Liverpool U18s team: Fulton, Quirk, Maguire, Jones, Heaton, Baio (Dunn 65), Peterson (Gainford 73), Lussey, Sinclair (Randall 65), Trickett-Smith, Ibe.
