Villa cannot stop reserve champions

Villa Reserves included Wayne Routledge, Marlon Harewood and Shaun Maloney - but it wasn’t enough to deny Liverpool the FA Premier Reserve League title last night.

Goals from Krisztian Nemeth, Jordy Brouwer and Lucas clinched the national crown on a frustrating night for Kevin MacDonald’s Southern champions at Anfield.

Liverpool took a 10th minute lead as Nemeth slotted home a low left-foot drive from the edge of the box.

Villa twice went close to a reply, first when Chris Herd hit the foot of the post and, after the break, Moustapha Salifou struck the top of the bar. But Liverpool showed Villa how it should be done, and after keeper Stuart Taylor palmed away Nemeth’s drive, Brouwer doubled Liverpool’s lead on 67, latching onto Nemeth’s through ball and slotting past Taylor. Lucas made it 3-0 on 77, meeting Pacheco’s ball on the edge of the box and turning to fire low past Taylor.

Barry Bannan saw a 25-yard drive tipped wide, Harewood headed over and substitute Marc Albrighton tested Gulacsi with a cross-cum-shot as Villa chased a consolation.

Liverpool: Galacsi, Darby, Insua, San Jose, Huth, Plessis, El Zhar (Simon 86), Lucas, Brouwer (Pacheco 73), Nemeth (Lindfield 80), Flynn.

Villa: Taylor, Lund (Bannan 74), Baker (Delfouneso HT), Osbourne, Clark, Lowry, Salifou, Routledge, Harewood, Herd, Maloney (Albrighton 78).