10-Man Reds lose finale

Michael Ngoo struck for Liverpool Reserves as they went down 2-1 against Newcastle in their final Premier Reserve League North game of the season. Yven Moyo put the visitors ahead on 22 minutes at the Kirkby Academy before Mehdi Abeid doubled the Toon's advantage on 33 minutes. Half-time substitute Ngoo pulled one back for the Reds. Then, five minutes from time, Suso, who had played well all afternoon, was shown a harsh straight red card for a challenge from behind. Moyo struck the opener after a slow start to the game. Composed and perfectly poised on the edge of the Liverpool penalty area, the French defender angled his shot past Peter Gulacsi for 1-0. On 30 minutes Wisdom picked out Suso, the Spaniard controlled and wove his way through a gang of Newcastle defenders before clipping the ball towards the far post where Eccleston was deemed to have handled. Three minutes later Newcastle were awarded a penalty. Emmanuel Mendy slipped, Ryan Donaldson was onto it in a flash and a wrong-footed Conor Coady brought him down inside the area. Abeid stepped up to rifle past Gulacsi and give Newcastle breathing space in the game. A couple of chances came Liverpool's way before the interval. Nathan Eccleston was fed through on goal and the winger raced clear of the Newcastle back four but his shot was straight at the keeper. Then Suso played a fine, lofted pass into Raheem Sterling who skipped away from his marker and crossed low into the middle but Krisztian Adorjan couldn't connect. The Reds made a spirited start to the second half. Ngoo took to the field in place of Adorjan and Suso began to get his foot on the ball and pull the strings for the Reds. He broke towards the by-line from where he cut the ball back into a congested penalty area. Ngoo stretched but couldn't get a touch to prod home. Then the Reds pulled themselves back into the game. It was all about Sterling and his determination as he battled away to win possession back from Moyo before squaring the ball to Ngoo, who side-footed home his seventh goal in seven games. Sterling was the thorn in Newcastle's left side wriggling free from opponents, pulling players out of position, creating gaps and drawing the occasional free-kick. One such set piece, midway through the second half, was almost turned in by Michael Roberts on the rebound but Newcastle's defence was solid. With five minutes left of normal time, Suso was shown a straight red for a harsh tackle from behind and the Reds were forced to settle for a defeat on the final day of their season. Liverpool team: Gulacsi, Mendy, Robinson, Coady, Sama, Wisdom, Suso, Roberts, Eccleston (Morgan 83), Adorjan (Ngoo 45), Sterling. Subs not used: Ward, Roddan, Smith.