At least the reserves are doing the job...
(From the offal)
Jordy Brouwer grabbed his first goal for Liverpool Reserves as Gary Ablett's men secured an impressive 3-0 victory away to an experienced Wigan Athletic side. The Dutch forward was on hand to open the scoring as early as the fifth minute as a young Reds side gave Rafael Benitez food for thought ahead of next week's Carling Cup clash at Reading.
The hosts included veteran goalkeeper Mike Pollitt and Cameroon international Salomon Olembe, who featured in both the 1994 and 1998 World Cup finals, in their starting line-up but it was the inexperienced visitors who made the brighter start.
Sebastian Leto, who proved to be a real threat throughout the night, flashed an effort just past the upright on two minutes before Brouwer pounced with the first clear-cut opportunity of the match three minutes later.
Nabil El Zhar found the overlapping Stephen Darby down the right and when his searching cross was headed goalwards by Craig Lindfield, Jordy Brouwer reacted to nod home from close range.
The Wigan defence continued to struggle with the pace and invention of the Liverpool forwards and on 11 minutes it should have been two but Pollitt reacted well to keep out Lindfield.
Jay Spearing then tested the Wigan stopper from distance before the hosts had their best chance of the first half when Chris McCaughtrie fired wide of David Martin's goal.
Wigan made two changes at the interval in an attempt to alter the course of the game but the Reds remained in control and should have doubled their lead on 53 minutes.
Lindfield again found himself in acres of space but after surging down the right flank he dragged his effort wide of the far post.
Wigan responded with their best chance of the match when substitute Matthew Hampson curled a superb 25 yard effort just past the post with Martin well beaten.
It was as close as the home side came as the Reds hit a second on 62 minutes when El Zhar drilled the ball past the despairing dive of Pollitt after Spearing headed Leto's cross back into the danger zone.
And the Reds made sure of the points on 83 minutes when Leto again caused havoc down the left before crossing low for substitute Ray Putterill to fire home from close range.
Wigan Reserves: Pollitt, Moore, Olembe, Taylor (Holt), Hall, Ashworth, Bouaouzan (Hampson), Montrose, Mahon, McCaughtrie (Pearson), Cywka
Liverpool Reserves: Martin, Darby, Insua, San Jose, Hobbs, Spearing, El Zhar (Crowther 74), Plessis (Putterill 72), Lindfield, Brouwer (Flynn 66), Leto
Referee: Mr C Sarginson
Liverpoolfc.tv Man of the Match: Sebastian Leto. Two assists and a constant threat throughout the contest.
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N157042070919-2059.htmReally hope to see more of Leto this year - possibly next week against Reading? With all the current rotation in the first team squad you have to wonder what some of these 'squad' players need to do to get in to the first team - but if the likes of Leto can do it then they deserve to place some pressure on the first team boys.
