AcademyU21s match report: Danns and Koumas net as Liverpool beat Fulham in PL2

Fellow forward Lewis Koumas also followed up his FA Youth Cup hat-trick last weekend by doubling the Reds’ lead in the second half, as Barry Lewtas’ side emerged comfortable winners in Kirkby.

Danns had struck the opener after 20 minutes, capitalising on a mistake from visiting goalkeeper Alex Borto at the Academy.

It was a rare chance during a tight first half in which clear opportunities were few and far between.

Fulham had the first, Fabian Mrozek safely down low to gather a shot from Adrion Pajaziti with six minutes gone. The Liverpool ’keeper did even better a short time later, tipping a good effort from Chris Donnell just over the bar.

Unfortunately for Borto at the other end, he was not so lucky as the Reds grabbed the lead.

He took a heavy touch from a back-pass and Danns slid in to scoop the ball home for his third strike for the U21s this season.

Trey Nyoni almost created another for Danns, a fantastic pass putting the striker away, but his touch just allowed Borto to come out and gather.

Koumas was playing with confidence on the left after his Youth Cup heroics, Borto sprawling to turn away his low shot from distance just before the half-hour mark.

Not to be outdone, Kaide Gordon went even closer on 33 minutes, clipping the outside of the post after a perfect lay-off from Danns, so the lead was still just one at the break.

Fulham came close to a leveller just 10 minutes into the second half when Pajaziti’s ball put Donnell in on goal. The midfielder rounded Mrozek but the ’keeper had pushed him wide and the final shot from an angle went wide of the far post.

The visitors were made to pay for the miss just after the hour as Lewtas’ charges extended their advantage.

Gordon escaped brilliantly from a tight space in his own half and ran unchallenged to the Fulham box before sliding a perfect pass for Koumas to finish.

The assist gave Gordon an obvious boost, the winger letting fly with a superb shot from all of 30 yards a few moments later, missing the top corner by the narrowest of margins.

Next he took on the full-back, seeming to have a fine claim for a penalty from a last-ditch challenge, but the officials believed the defender had got some of the ball and awarded only a corner.

The lead should have been three when Fulham gifted the ball to Gordon as they tried to play out on 72 minutes. He had several options but played in Josh Davidson, who had drifted just offside.

With 10 minutes left, a Liverpool clearance fell perfectly to Danns; he advanced and cut inside, but put his curling shot just wide.

More superb work from Koumas then created an opening for Trent Kone-Doherty, the late substitute dragging his effort off target, but it mattered little with the three points already deservedly secure for the young Reds.

TEAM

Mrozek, Lucky (Miles, 46), Scanlon, Pinnington, Nallo, Pilling, Gordon (Kone-Doherty, 89), Davidson, Danns, Nyoni (Spearing, 79), Koumas.

Unused subs: O. Kelly, Pennington.

NEXT UP

It’s a fortnight until Lewtas’ side are back in competitive action, which will also be at home in Premier League 2.

Stoke City visit the Kirkby Academy for a 2pm GMT kick-off on Sunday February 11.