Liverpool teenager achieves goalscoring first but cannot stop heavy defeat

Liverpool suffered a disappointing end to their U18 Premier League North campaign when they were soundly beaten at Derby County on Saturday afternoon.

A young under-18s side featuring a number of U16 players struggled to cope with the home side and were thumped 5-1 at the Derby County Academy. The highlight was a first goal at this level for 16-year-old Josh Sonni-Lambie on his 19th appearance.

Injuries and lack of availability, which have been consistent throughout a difficult campaign, meant Marc Bridge-Wilkinson was able to name only three players on the bench. The result means Liverpool finish in mid-table, 30 points behind leaders Manchester United and five points adrift of fourth-placed Derby.

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Keyrol Figueroa, who signed a first professional contract earlier in the week, forced Derby goalkeeper Harley Price into a save in the opening moments. But the home team then dominated the first half and went ahead after 10 minutes when Billy Gough got in down the Liverpool right and crossed low for Lennon Wheeldon to tap in.

Reds goalkeeper Nathana Morana denied Wheeldon notching a second shortly afterwards but Derby doubled their lead on 37 minutes when Luca Furnell-Gill lost possession on the edge of the area and Justin Oguntolu strolled in to score.

In response, Figueroa sent a header at Price from Ranel Young's cross before Sonni-Lambie struck the crossbar with a shot from range just before half-time. But in injury time Oguntolu netted his second by converting another cross from the Derby left.

With 15-year-old Joe Bradshaw again lively on the flank, Liverpool gave a better account of themselves in the second half only for Oguntolu to complete his hat-trick 15 minutes from time.

Liverpool got a goal back when Kareem Ahmed released Sonni-Lambie to score with three minutes remaining but there was still time for Derby substitute Marcel Tola to capitalise on a series of Liverpool mistakes to score a fifth.

LIVERPOOL U18s (3-4-3): Morana; Airoboma, Furnell-Gill, Pitt; Sonni-Lambie, Onanuga, Lonmeni, Ahmed; Bradshaw (O'Connor 62), Figueroa, Young (Evers 69). Subs: Bernard.