Match reportLFC U18s beat Bournemouth in FA Youth Cup third round
Liverpool U18s progressed to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup with a hard-earned 2-1 win over AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Thursday’s third-round tie was settled by close-range finishes in either half by Jayden Danns and debutant Kareem Ahmed, which rendered Finn Tonks’ stoppage-time header a mere consolation.
A youthful Reds side - shorn of Trent Kone-Doherty, Lewis Koumas and James McConnell due to injury - spent the majority of the opening 45 minutes in the ascendancy and deserved their lead at the interval.
The momentum shifted in the hosts’ favour after the break, though, with Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s side having to absorb sustained spells of pressure.
But they did so successfully and sealed a trip to Port Vale in the next round when substitute Ahmed converted the rebound after Wellity Lucky’s header had been blocked on the line.
Danns could have scored twice inside a positive first 15 minutes for Liverpool, the forward first blazing over after Bournemouth goalkeeper Ollie Camis had spilled a raking Tommy Pilling pass and then hitting the post from a tight angle.
The Cherries saw strong appeals for a penalty ignored when Terence Miles appeared to commit a foul in the area and the young Reds took full advantage soon after.
Pilling’s attempt from range struck the chest of Bournemouth’s Max Kinsey-Wellings and Danns reacted quickest to fire the loose ball high into the net.
Bournemouth came out with plenty of attacking intent in the second half, with Baylin Johnson missing a good chance and Liverpool ’keeper Luke Hewitson denying Daniel Adu-Adjei.
The pressure continued but Bridge-Wilkinson’s side remained a threat on the break and Ranel Young spurned a presentable opportunity following another excellent pass from Pilling.
And they doubled their advantage as captain Miles headed a deep corner back across goal, Lucky’s effort was blocked and Ahmed was on hand to net.
Bournemouth did not give up and made it a nervy finale for Liverpool when Tonks nodded in a free-kick at the back post, but the visitors held firm to progress.
Liverpool U18s: Hewitson, Davidson, Lucky, Miles, Scanlon (Gyimah, 54), Laffey, Pilling, Kelly (Ahmed, 46), Gift, Young (Pitt, 87), Danns.
Unused subs: Trueman, Samuels, Giblin, Pennington.
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