Liverpool’s under-21s picked up a rare point in the EFL trophy with a gutsy comeback against League Two’s Harrogate Town, missing out on a bonus point in a penalty shootout.
Harrogate Town 1-1 Liverpool U21s (4-2 on pens)
EFL Trophy Group Stage (2), The Exercise Stadium
September 24, 2024
Goals: Muldoon 44′; Norris 75′
For the second time in the competition this season, the young Reds were up against League Two opposition, with 20th-placed Harrogate Town playing host on Tuesday evening.
After Arne Slot hinted at a place in the matchday squad against West Ham, 17-year-old Trey Nyoni, again, was unsurprisingly not involved here – notably nor was Tyler Morton or Tom Hill.
Thirty-five-year-old Jay Spearing was comfortably Liverpool’s most experienced and vocal player in the XI, offering a physical presence that was missed in the 5-1 defeat at Crewe last time out.
Ahead of the match, manager Barry Lewtas said, “we certainly feel we are in a better place now than we were [vs. Crewe],” and early signs pointed to that.
Liverpool restricted Harrogate’s chances to test Harvey Davies and showed promise of their own predominantly on the left through James Norris and Trent Kone-Doherty, who was making his first start of the season.
A physical presence up top was the notable missing piece for the young Reds as the small forward line was not aided by constant high balls that favoured Harrogate’s towering defenders.
The hosts showed the value of having that type of player by cruelly scoring just moments before the interval, with a powerful header making it 1-0 after a high turnover in the Reds’ defensive third.
Half time: Harrogate 1-0 Liverpool U21s
There was a more concerted effort in the second half to keep the ball on the ground and play to the advantage of the Reds’ pacey wingers, and it paid off.
Liverpool refused to roll over against their League Two counterparts and with the 2,037 home fans groaning amid their pressure, Norris forced an equaliser in the 75th minute.
After winning a decisive challenge in Harrogate’s half – which could have led to a wave of pressure going the other way had they lost it – the Reds brilliantly worked their way into the box for Norris to steer a shot into the far corner.
A 1-1 draw was the result at the final whistle, securing a rare and gutsy point for the young Reds, only their fifth since they first joined the competition in 2019/20!
Under the rules of the EFL Trophy, though, all draws go to a penalty shoot-out to give one team the opportunity to earn an extra point.
Liverpool had their first penalty saved and had the crossbar deny them another to lose 4-2 on penalties.
TIA Man of the Match: Trent Kone-Doherty
Liverpool U21s: Davies; Miles, Lucky, Pinnington, Norris; Spearing (Davidson 63′), Corness (Kellu 85′), Laffey (Pilling 63′); Morrison, Kone-Doherty, Figueroa (Cannonier 63′)
Subs not used: Misciur, Nallo
Next Match: Arsenal (A) – Premier League 2 – Friday, September 27, 7pm (BST)
