from Liverpoofc.tv
Liverpool continued their defence of the FA Youth Cup sponsored by E.ON with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Chelsea at Anfield on Saturday lunchtime.
Goals from Jimmy Ryan and Ray Putterill earned the under-18s a fifth-round tie against either Coventry or Reading.
The game threatened to become a bruiser early on as both sides looked to stamp their authority on the tie in front of about 1,000 spectators huddled together in the Kop.
The Reds refused to be bossed by their athletic-looking guests, however, and it was the holders who carved out the game's first opportunity on nine minutes when Jimmy Ryan directed a fierce drive inches wide from the edge of the box.
With their nerves seemingly calmed Steve Heighway's men stepped up a gear, Ray Putterill showing some impressive touches on the left-wing.
It was his pinpoint cross which set up Ryan for the opener, the winger doing his number seven shirt proud with a sublime flick beyond keeper Rhys Taylor with the outside of his boot.
There followed a period of Chelsea pressure, though in truth Reds' keeper Martin Hansen hadn't had a save to make as the sides headed for the tunnel at half-time.
Indeed, the hosts were unlucky not to go in 2-0 up following Craig Lindfield's speculative effort from 20-odd yards which only just found its way into an empty Anfield Road Stand.
Chelsea made their intentions clear from the off in the second-half though never found the guile to translate pressure into clear-cut chances.
It was again the Reds who created the half's first chance, Lee Woodward curling narrowly wide from 20 yards.
The Blues eventually moved to three at the back but remained at a loss as to how to break-down a very well-organised Liverpool defence led by centre-backs Jay Spearing and Robbie Threlfall.
The visitors were made to pay for their lack of cutting-edge when Putterill killed the game with a fierce drive at the Kop end following a brilliant lofted ball by Spearing.
Liverpoolfc.tv man-of-the-match: Robbie Threlfall.
Liverpool: Hansen, Darby, Burns, Spearing (capt), Threlfall, Barnett, Ryan, Flynn, Lindfield, Woodward (Wignall 86), Putterill.
Chelsea: Taylor, Hutchinson, Worley, Cork, Bertrand, Bridcutt (capt), Stoch, Woods, Nielsen (Ferreira 45), Rodriguez, Sinclair.
Well done young fella's!
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