Late strikes sees our Women’s Under-21s edged by Liverpool

Two late, late goals from Liverpool condemned our Women’s Under-21s to a 2-1 defeat in the Professional Game Academy League on Wednesday afternoon.

We enjoyed a strong first half on Merseyside as Cairo Antoine-Eva made it three goals in three games across the Under-21s and Under-16s – where she also netted in Saturday’s semi-final win over Bristol City – to put us ahead against the Reds.

And, in truth, we were in control for most of the encounter as we looked to close the gap on Liverpool in second place, but two goals in four minutes from the home side turned the clash into their favour in the closing stages of the game. Libby Bermingham levelled the scores and then, with just one minute left in remaining time, the home side grabbed the all-important winner to claim the three points in the league.

There were a number of positives for Nick Hardy’s side in term of team news as midfielder Ruby Mace returned to the matchday squad and was introduced midway through the second half, making her first appearance in over a month after recovering from an injury, while Faye Fields-Davis continued to build back to full match fitness as she made just her second appearance of the campaign, coming on as a substitute, following a difficult year on the sidelines.

Goalkeeper Sophie Jackson was called into action in the opening stages to produce a strong save with her feet at the near post before, in the 16th-minute, a moment of real quality saw us break the deadlock at Liverpool's training ground. Grace Breen’s long ball forward set Persis Oteng on her way down the left, she advanced to the byline before cutting it back it Antoine-Eva to slot home at the back post.

Two minutes later, Emily McMaster was in the right place at the right time to clear a shot that was bound for the back of the net to maintain our one-goal advantage while, at the other end, we were inches away from doubling our lead when Cruz Fuller-Fagan reacted quickest to the loose ball inside the box, after Oteng saw an effort saved by Faye Kirby, as her attempt on the rebound was cleared off the line.

Izzy O’Connor dragged an effort wide of the far post while Mia Endcott’s corner from the right struck the outside of the post in what were the best opportunities for the remainder of the first half. Chances were few and far between in the second period, although Jackson produced a fantastic save to tip Bermingham’s powerful left-footed strike over the bar as the game entered the final quarter-of-an-hour.

With five minutes left remaining on the clock, the hosts got on level terms as a short goal-kick routine allowed them to win the ball back inside our box before Bermingham guided her effort past two of our defenders on the line and into the back of the net. Then, four minutes later, the game completely turned into the Liverpool’s favour as Blue Bartlett-Antwi's pass was intercepted and, in a matter of seconds, Maddie Robinson picked out the top left corner with a curling effort from just inside the 18-yard box, earning the Reds a valuable win in the Professional Game Academy League.

Further team news saw the matchday squad also featured a number of Under-16s players, with Sophie Jackson and Cairo Antoine-Eva in the starting XI before Eloise Summers-Mee and Poppy Neill were second half substitutes.

"It's a difficult one to take"

Reflecting on the game, Nick Hardy said: “It’s a difficult one to take, a difficult one to reflect on and analyse in the moment.

“But, that being said, although it’s a real sense of disappointment in the changing room at the end, we spent the majority of the time talking about how brilliant the 85 minutes were prior to the chaos in the last few minutes.

“I think the girls showed everything we had been asking for in that period and it was one of the most complete performance we’ve seen this season before the two goals were conceded, we were probably the best version of ourselves with and without the ball, so in the small reflection we had, that was the biggest message we had.

“But you have to be on it for the whole 90 minutes, that control we showed for large portions of the game is pleasing, however, you need to be able to maintain  the control of the momentum, the style and the identity. The comfort with what we do in this development league is to help the girls progress and grow, so we will reflect and go again in a week’s time.”