Liverpool - v- Leeds U 11 3rd November 2009

It was a brisk, moonlit night in Liverpool that welcomed a Leeds team for the annual Challenge Shield clash.  This was a trophy that had never ventured over the sunnier side of the Pennines and Leeds were hoping to be the first team to bring home the honours.  Leeds lined up with Scott Graham in goal and a defensive back four of Joe Wheeler on the right, Harry Shelborn and Tom Godden in the centre and Jack McGahan on the left. In midfield were Scott Smith, Sam Bellerby, Sam Vasey and allum Elson. Up front Johnathan Nyantou and Sheldon Muzvidziwa hoped to spring what was likely to be a well drilled Liverpool defence. The team was coached by Mr Tonge and early indications were that his finger would rarely be out of his holster!

From the outset, the Liverpool side looked to have a lot of pace and put the Leeds defence under immediate pressure with strong runs down the left from their No14 giving Wheeler a major role in the game. Graham pulled of a great save within the first five minutes as he raced back across his goal and tipped the ball over the bar.

Smith was working tirelessly down Leeds' right and was cutting out a lot of. Liverpool's potentially dangerous passes through to their strikers.  Liverpool though, were beginning to dominate the midfield and were denied an opening goal on 7 minutes when a through ball from midfield found the striker in an offside position before he netted the ball.  Leeds were finding it difficult to break into Liverpools half and both Nyantou and Muzvidziwa had to play deeper to have any chance of seeing the ball. Liverpools most enterprising work was coming down their right flank and Wheeler was playing a great covering role to clear Leeds defence. The defensive dam was breached on 10 minutes when a Liverpool free kick from 25 yards out cleared the top of the 4 man wall and past the outstretched hand of Graham.  Liverpool were 2-0 up within five minutes. Again, strong attacking play down the left saw the ball put across the Leeds area and a Liverpool striker slide the ball into the net. There was no let up and successive crosses, again from the left, saw Godden and Shelborn put under enormous pressure to clear the ball. Eventually Leeds succumbed and with 5 minutes to go, a ball in from the left found the Leeds defence outnumbered.  Graham managed to get a hand to the first strike but could only parry the ball into the path of a waiting Liverpool striker, who made it 3-0. Leeds were finding hard to find answers to Liverpools domination and shortly before  half time they lost possession in midfield and a perfectly weighted through ball to the Liverpool striker was finished off in style  to make it 4-0.  Much of the creative play for Leeds was coming from McGahan and Vasey, who was unlucky not to score when he squared up to a defensive clearance from the Liverpool back for only to see his shot ricochet off the  post. 

The second half saw the introduction of Tyler Thompson, Mackenzie Haigh and Tom Schofield on for Nyantou, Shelborn and Smith. Early Leeds pressure from Bellerby and Wheeler forced a succession of corners that were comfortably dealt with. Leeds were getting more of the play in the second half but were still not looking threatening. The midfield of Elson, Haigh, Bellerby and Elson were more organised and nullifying the early threats from the Liverpool midfield.  As the half wore on Liverpool began to get on top and with 20 minutes gone, one of the Liverpool strikers saw Graham come off his line. A deft touch over the top of the advancing keeper made it 5-0 to Liverpool. Despite looking tired, the Leeds side continued to battle well. The game ended with a much-improved second half performance from Leeds but a nonetheless emphatic victory that kept the Shield on Merseyside for another 12 months. Reflecting after the game, Mr Rossiter felt that this was one of the best Liverpool sides he could  recall and that Leeds could have no complaints, promising a stiffer challenge when Liverpool make the trek to Leeds.