AcademyLFC U21s beat Kidderminster 1-0 in pre-season friendly
A youthful Liverpool U21s side continued their pre-season preparations with a battling 1-0 victory over Kidderminster Harriers on Friday night.
Half-time substitute Jayden Danns sealed the win 10 minutes into the second period with a precise, reversed finish into the corner.
U21s head coach Barry Lewtas fielded a youthful Reds line-up sprinkled with a couple of older hands that took to the field at Aggborough Stadium to face the National League outfit in front of a crowd of 1,753.
It was the visitors who offered the first threat, Kieran Morrison firing in a low shot that Christian Dibble saved well.
Chances were at a premium in a tight first half but Lewtas’ side were indebted to goalkeeper Jakub Ojrzynski twice in the latter stages.
First he produced a good low save at the feet of Ashley Hemmings just a few yards out, before Gerry McDonagh controlled well and fired in a low shot the young Pole got down well to stop by his post.
Just after the break the home side almost broke the deadlock with a ball to the back post, with the first-time effort from Hemmings going right across goal.
Minutes later Hemmings did have the ball in the net but he was well offside from McDonagh’s cross-shot.
It was Liverpool who took the lead 10 minutes into the second half.
A powerful tackle from Adam Lewis in the middle of the field eventually saw the ball break to Danns in space, and he skipped past the last defender before clipping his shot back into the net.
Ojrzynski turned another low effort away by his post immediately from the restart as Harriers looked to hit straight back.
Kieran Phillips chanced his arm with a drive but the Reds goalkeeper was again well positioned to save.
With 15 minutes left, the away team almost doubled their lead. Danns rose well to meet a Lewis corner and a touch from fellow substitute Keyrol Figueroa took it all the way to the goalline, where a defender cleared.
Francis Gyimah fired in a low shot that Dibble clawed past his post before Ojrzynski tipped over a superb effort from a Harriers triallist intent on making his mark, with one goal enough for a Liverpool victory.