COACH Steve Cooper was full of praise for his youngsters after Liverpool Under-18s followed up their victory at Fulham with a 3-0 win over Middlesbrough at the Academy.
Daniel Trickett-Smith, Jordan Lussey and Jerome Sinclair were on target as the Reds wrapped up the points before the break.
“It was a positive day for us,” said Cooper.
“It was good to see the boys go about the game in the right manner. We got hold of it after the first 15 minutes and dominated with possession.
“The goals came with some very good finishing but they were real team goals with good passing.
“We’ve worked on winning it back as high up the pitch as possible and by doing that we didn’t allow Middlesbrough to get on the ball.
“I was just as pleased that in the second half we didn’t go out of position and didn’t try to force things. The message at half-time was to play with more concentration and more composure.
“The chances wouldn’t go in during the second half but the mentality of the players and our game management was excellent.”
Trickett-Smith opened the scoring on 19 minutes when he fired home from just inside the area.
Lussey made it 2-0 on the half-hour mark with a brilliant curler into the top corner after being set up by Kris Peterson.
Sinclair, who became the youngest first team player in the Reds’ history last month, added the third when he cut inside from the left, beat a couple of defenders and found the bottom corner.
Only the woodwork and a string of saves from James Montgomery denied the Reds further goals.
“We’ve won the last two games but the performances have been at the same level even in those matches we lost,” Cooper added.
“I wasn’t worried when we weren’t picking up points because they were going about their work in the right way.
“I’m pleased for the players that the results are coming now.”
The under-18s, who are without a game this weekend, host Man City next Saturday.
Liverpool U18s: Fulton, Quirk, Maguire, Jones, Heaton, Baio, Peterson (Brannagan), Lussey, Sinclair, Trickett-Smith (O’Hanlon), Gainford (Randall)
