AcademyU18s match report: Liverpool beaten at Derby in season finale
The hosts were quick to get themselves in front in the contest and had the lead inside 10 minutes.
Remi Harvey was the goalscorer as he converted after a cross in from the right by Sean Corry following Lucas Clarke initially clearing off the line.
Derby then doubled their lead on 16 minutes as Harvey was again involved, netting into the bottom corner via a deflection from Prince Cisse.
Liverpool responded and almost got on the scoresheet as Haydn Murray-Holme produced a clever turn in midfield to release La’more Lee Forrester down the right.
He advanced forward to beat his man and shoot from a tight angle but was denied by a great save from goalkeeper Cristiano Dzialuk.
Lee Forrester, however, wasn’t to be halted 10 minutes before the break as he reduced the deficit for the Reds.
He again cut in from the right but this time fired a shot into the corner of the net beyond the reach of the stopper.
Ahead of the interval, though, the home side restored their two-goal advantage through Israel Green’s penalty.
Following the restart, Liverpool managed to again cut into Derby's lead and grab a second of the evening.
Joe Upton found the net in impressive fashion after he collected the ball behind the defence to finish well despite the hosts retreating to try and clear off the line.
Matt Wright was called into action for Liverpool on two occasions with reaction stops, while Dzialuk kept an Isaac Konde shot out, before also denying AJ Yeguo.
The Reds then had a leveller 16 minutes from time via Upton's second effort of the night, he converted from the spot after Lee Forrester won a penalty.
Both teams pushed on to find a winner, though it was the hosts who did so with James Ward heading in from a corner ball following another clearance off the line from substitute Lenix Conde.
Liverpool almost grabbed a point via Oliver O'Connor, however, he could only fire against the underside of the bar after racing in on goal.
Cisse was also dismissed for the Reds deep in added time as he picked up a second yellow card during a swift Derby break away.
Team
Liverpool: Wright, Hickman, O’Connor, Cisse, Clarke (Conde, 46), Murray-Holme, Konde (Moran, 67), Upton, Lee Forrester, Eden (Owen, 43), Yeguo.
Unused subs: Hilditch.