Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Amoo Brace Tames Wolves

David Amoo struck a clinical double as Liverpool Reserves claimed their first win of the season with a 2-0 success over Wolves on Tuesday night.

The 19-year-old was on hand to finish off two incisive first-half counter attacks and ensure John McMahon's men capped an impressive showing with three richly deserved points.

The Reds had gone into the clash having drawn their opening two encounters of the new Barclays Premier Reserve League Northern Group B campaign but always looked in control against what was a relatively experienced Wolves outfit.

Indeed, the hosts had a real hunger about their play from the off and took the lead with their first attack of the match on two minutes.

A sublime move started with Danny Wilson's clever pass into the feet of Tom Ince. The winger turned well before spreading the ball out to Suso on the left flank. The diminutive Spaniard then showed superb vision to weigh up his options and deliver a perfect low cross into the path of Amoo who made no mistake from eight yards.

The visitors had barely had a chance to adjust to their surroundings when Liverpool piled forward again, with Ince collecting Suso's pass and firing straight at Wayne Hennessey before both Steven Irwin and Jonjo Shelvey saw their follow up efforts blocked by some desperate defending.

The warning signs were there for Wolves and despite the fact it was still early on in the encounter it was no surprise when the Reds doubled their advantage on eight minutes.

Another whirlwind attack ended with Amoo touching home at the second attempt after his initial effort from Irwin's cross was well saved by Hennessey.

McMahon's side were clearly enjoying their first Wirral outing of the new campaign and could have extended their lead further on 15 minutes when Nathan Eccleston saw a devilish cross drop just shy of the far post.

Amoo then burst down the right flank and centred for Eccleston but the forward saw his classy volley on the turn whistle just past the far post with Hennessey rooted to the spot.

It was proving to be a busy first period for the Wales stopper and he had to be at his best to deny Suso's arcing free-kick before beating away Irwin's magnificent volley after Shelvey had picked him out on the edge of the box from the resulting corner.

Liverpool continued to ask all the questions and Amoo could well have had his hat-trick on 38 minutes but he smashed well wide of the near post after Ince's well crafted pass had put him in on the right side of the box.

There was even time for Ince to go close himself, curling just wide of the top corner after a dazzling run left two Wolves defenders in his wake.

The visitors would have been delighted to have gone in at the interval just the two goals behind and there was an immediate improvement in their play following the restart with both Ashley Hemmings and Louis Harris going close.

Liverpool were struggling to recapture the flow that had seen them create chance after chance early on and Peter Gulacsi was finally called into action on the hour mark when he reacted smartly to keep out Nenad Milijas's header.

The opportunity forced the Reds to respond and Suso tested Hennessey's handling with a rasping shot from the left edge of the box before Eccleston was left frustrated by a deflection that denied him a simple tap-in from Irwin's centre.

As the clock ticked down the away side continued to search for a way back into it and they could have set up a barnstorming finish had substitute Geoffrey Mujanji-Bia's 35 yard drive not crashed back off the crossbar.

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