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NEMETH FIRES RESERVES TO TITLE GLORY
Liverpool Reserves are celebrating after a 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers saw them crowned Champions of the Barclays Premier Reserve League North at Christie Park. Gary Ablett's side, who went into the clash needing two points to confirm their status as the league winners, clinched the title with two games to spare courtesy of Krisztian Nemeth's superb first-half strike.
It caps a remarkable season for the Reds coach and his team of youngsters, who will now be presented with the trophy following Thursday's match against Manchester City at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
On a night when the Reds knew victory would guarantee more silverware to add to the Dallas Cup won on their recent trip to the USA, they began brightly, and could have taken the lead after just eight minutes when the fledgling partnership of Krisztian Nemeth and Daniel Pacheco combined to create the first real opening of the game.
The Hungarian hot-shot turned his marker brilliantly before playing in the diminutive Spaniard, who drilled a shot from the right hand side of the penalty area just wide of the near post.
The visitors were playing the more purposeful football and seven minutes later they manufactured an even better opening with Nemeth once again the architect, this time playing Ryan Flynn through on goal with a delightful ball, but the midfielder somehow contrived to drill his low effort wide of goal from 10 yards out.
Blackburn were offering very little going forward and the Reds front two of Pacheco and Nemeth continued to cause problems with some clever interchanges before they inevitably combined to give the Reds the lead on 26 minutes.
Pacheco danced beyond the challenge of Keith Tracey on the half way line and launched an audacious 30-yard ball through to Nemeth who outfoxed the last defender in the penalty area before toe-poking his shot beyond Gunnar Nielsen to take his personal tally to eight goals in just nine reserve team league appearances.
It was no more than Ablett's side deserved as they moved the ball about with the same confidence and quality that had seen them lose just one of their previous 15 Barclays Premier Reserve League North fixtures.
With the title within sight they continued to dominate the proceedings after the interval and they could have doubled their advantage on 56 minutes Pacheco fed Flynn just inside the area, but this time the Scottish youngster's low effort was well saved by Nielsen.
Jay Spearing then curled a left-wing free-kick just over the bar while substitute Andras Simon flashed a low ball across the face of the six yard box as Liverpool pressed to try and find the second goal their performance deserved.
It never arrived, but in truth it didn't matter. The match rarely lived up to expectations against a fifth placed Rovers side who had earned a goalless draw when the two teams met at the Halliwell Jones Stadium earlier in the season.
As the clock ticked down towards title glory the Reds were rarely troubled and they comfortably closed out the game against the home side, who offered very little going forward in a rather disappointing display.
Not that Ablett and co cared, as they eased their way through the final minutes of the contest to secure the championship ahead of what promises to be a party atmosphere at Thursday night's homecoming against Manchester City.
Blackburn Rovers Reserves: Nielsen, Nolan, Olsson, Hodge (Zenaba 88), Flynn, Winnard, Peter, O'Keefe, Marshall (Howarth 65), Clarke, Tracey. Unused subs: Bussman, Paterson, De Vita.
Liverpool Reserves: Martin, Darby, Insua, San Jose, Huth, Ayala (Plessis 77), El Zhar, Spearing, Pacheco (Bruna 59), Nemeth (Simon 77), Flynn. Unused subs: Gulacsi, Kelly.
Liverpoolfc.tv man of the match: Krisztian Nemeth. Revelled alongside his new strike partner and showed he can create chances just as well as he can take them with some delightful through balls. A typically lethal finish for his goal.
ABLETT TARGETS MORE SUCCESS
Gary Ablett has set his sights on winning the Reserve League final after his side won 1-0 at Blackburn Rovers to clinch the northern title. The Reds coach admits he was delighted to secure what is Liverpool's 17th Reserve league title and revealed he made sure the full complement of his squad travelled to Morecambe's Christie Park so that they could all enjoy the moment.
"It's great," Ablett told Liverpoolfc.tv.
"We got all the players together at the end, including the ones who weren't in the 16, because I felt it was important for them to come and be a part of everything.
"They weren't in the 16 but they've driven everyone on in training and without them and their contribution in training, we wouldn't be in the position we are in now, so we are very happy to have won the northern division.
"But we've not really won anything yet, the job now is to go on and beat the Southern champions at Anfield - if we can."
The northern title is Ablett's second trophy of the season after he led the Reserves to the Dallas Cup in their trip to the USA last month.
It is a superb achievement for the former Reds defender, who insists it isn't about silverware at this level and instead takes more pleasure from seeing the likes of Damien Plessis progress to the first-team, after the midfielder made his senior bow in the 1-1 draw at Arsenal on Saturday.
"We've said before that the likes of Damien are the job," he said.
"We achieved that but until we get someone in on a regular basis then we wouldn't be happy and we hope Damien is the first of many.
"I think the way we played over the course of the season bodes well and we are hoping three or four of them can go on and make an impression on Rafa's squad.
"It's a difficult job to do, but as a group of young players it's nice for them to have achieved something."
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Great result for the lads and made up for them getting the title secured.
Obviously the main objective isn't where you finish in the league as its all about bringing the kids through but it helps when they play well and win the league.
Quite a few of the reserve team may well make the step up in the next 18 months- 2 years but i think there is 2 - 3 of them who I would be prepared to put into the first team squad next season, espically considering there will be 7 substitutes on the bench.
Nemeth is obviously the kid who catches the eye. He has shown as the season has grown that not only is he a goalscorer he also has an eye for a pass and he may well become a superb number ten.
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