Match reportReds earn hard-fought Blackburn win in U18 Premier League North

A goal in each half from wingers Trent Kone-Doherty and Ranel Young took the Reds to victory in U18 Premier League North action after falling behind within six minutes.

It was a highly competitive affair with Rovers reduced to 10 men for the closing stages as centre-back Charlie Olson was shown a second yellow for a foul on Lewis Koumas.

Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s outfit fell behind after a ball from the left was not properly cleared and, while an initial effort was blocked, the rebound fell nicely to Harley O’Grady Macken, whose fine strike gave Fabian Mrozek no chance.

The Reds gathered themselves and almost grabbed an equaliser a few minutes later. James McConnell turned his marker in midfield before exchanging passes with Kone-Doherty and unleashing a low shot that clipped the outside of the post via a deflection.

Full-back Leonard Duru proved the hosts’ biggest threat on the day and his creativity almost stretched the advantage when he crossed for Dominik Biniek to head wide.

In response, Koumas fired narrowly over after bringing down a fine pass from Terence Miles ahead of Liverpool levelling 10 minutes before the break.

Koumas, again, made a fine run down the channel to pick up Tommy Pilling’s pass before finding Kone-Doherty. The left winger cut in from his side and fired low past William Blease in the Rovers goal from the edge of the box.

It always looked as if Liverpool’s wingers might hold the key to victory and so it proved in the second half.

Young burst into the box from the right to latch onto a ball, move in on goal and lash home for the lead with 51 minutes gone.

It was a slender advantage, though, and Biniek had the chance to wipe it out within five minutes, but he missed another good chance, shooting wide from a great position in front of goal.

Carter Pinnington and Charlie Hayes-Green provided solid foundations at the back for the Reds, though some confusion between the former and Mrozek almost allowed Blackburn to level.

Great tracking from midfielder Michael Laffey also snuffed out a dangerous attack as the home side looked to come back into the game.

Liverpool had the chance for a third when McConnell’s fine pass went all the way across goal to Kone-Doherty, who was lurking at the far post, but his goal-bound effort was brilliantly blocked by the retreating defence.

It had been a fully committed game throughout and Blackburn had to play the final 10 minutes a man down after Koumas flicked the ball past Olson before being fouled, leaving the referee to show the defender a second yellow card.

It took a fine Mrozek save late on to deny Duru while a free-kick was headed home for an apparent equaliser though was swiftly ruled out by an offside flag with several players having jumped early.

Liverpool U18s: Mrozek, Miles, Gyimah (Giblin, 81), Pinnington, Hayes-Green, Pilling, Young (Figueroa, 90), McConnell, Koumas, Laffey, Kone-Doherty.

Unused substitutes: Hewitson, Roberts, Samuels.