LIVERPOOL 9 SOUTHEND 0
Mon 14 Feb 2011
Southend United's FA Youth Cup adventure came to an emphatic end with at St Valentine's Day massacre at Liverpool tonight.
Ricky Duncan's side, who had equaled a club record by reaching the fifth round of the competition, were trounced 9-0 at Anfield.
And it was mesmeric display by winger Raheem Sterling that did the damage.
The Jamaican terrorised Southend with an outstanding five goal display to set up a quarter final clash at home to either Manchester or Newcastle United.
Blues' only slight goalscoring chance came with 18 minutes on the clock when George Smith broke free down the right hand side
His cross eventually fell in to the path of the on-rushing Blues skipper James Stevens but his scuffed left foot shot was scrambled to safety off the goal-line by Liverpool defender Stephen Sama.
But the half chance seemed to affect Southend's concentration as the resulting clearance from Reds goalkeeper Tyrell Belford caught out the Blues back four and Sterling took full advantage to race through and score with a neat finish from 12 yards.
Three minutes later the lively left winger was at it again as he doubled the home-side's lead with an excellent individual effort.
Sterling cut in off the flank and worked his way past three Blues players before unleashing a well struck right foot shot in to the right hand side of the goal.
Liverpool continued to pile on the pressure and, with 24 minutes on the clock they made it 3-0 - this time from the penalty spot after referee Paul Hodskinson harshly adjudged Dominic Iorfa to have brought down striker Adam Morgan.
That enabled home captain Conor Coady to step forward and slam the subsequent penalty in to the roof of the net.
The shell shocked Blues replied with Smith firing wide of the left post from 20 yards but Liverpool were soon back on top and made it 4-0 in the 34th minute as Sterling completed his hat-trick.
The winger latched on to a loose ball after Blues had conceded possession on the edge of the penalty area and curled home a composed 16 yard shot.
A Sama header from Sterling left wing corner then made it 5-0 in the 37th minute and on the stroke of half-time Morgan nodded home a free-kick Krisztian Adorjan.
At the start of the second period, Sterling fired just wide from 20 yards before Blues goalkeeper Daniel Bentley did well to deny Toni Brito E Silva.
But he was beaten again by Sterling in the 56th minute as he superbly cut in off the left hand side, beat two men and slotted a fine finish in to the bottom left hand corner of the net from eight yards.
Joshua Sumner then fired against the right post for the home-side before Blues striker Duane Ofori Acheampong stabbed a looping effort just wide of the right post from 20 yards.
Liverpool were not finished though and added two late goals with Sterling scoring his fifth before Silva bagged his side's ninth and final strike in the final minute of the tie.
http://www.southendunited.co.uk/page/YouthNewsDetail/0,,10444~2293554,00.html