Liverpool: 'Kaca' strikes as Reds progress

Liverpool Reserves booked their place in the last four of the Senior Cup following a stylish 4-0 victory at Ashton Town on Wednesday night.

John McMahon's side dominated from start to finish and deservedly got back to winning ways courtesy of goals from Alex Kacaniklic, substitute Jordy Brouwer, Jay Spearing and Emmanuel Mendy.

It was the second-string's first win of 2010 and means they will now head into next week's Lancashire County Cup second round clash at Bolton full of confidence.

In front of a sparse crowd in Wigan, the Reds made the early running and almost took a first minute lead. Some good approach play down the left flank by Kacaniklic saw the ball worked into the area but both David Amoo and Spearing had low efforts blocked.

Four minutes later and Daniel Ayala came even closer, stabbing a Spearing corner from the right just wide at the near post.

The hosts had barely made it out of their own half but did threaten briefly when Christian Boxby's thumping drive was superbly tipped over by Chris Oldfield in the Liverpool goal.

However, it was as good as it got for the North West Counties VODKAT League outfit in the first period as the visitors poured forward at every opportunity.

Mendy had looked particularly dangerous down the right flank and it was no surprise that his pace provided the chance for the opening goal on 14 minutes.

A long ball over the top sent the Senegalese defender racing towards goal and when Ashton 'keeper Carl Lloyd missed the ball, he sent over a low cross for David Amoo. The former Millwall man saw his goalbound shot well blocked, leaving Kacaniklic to arrive and coolly slot home.

The Swede is capable of flashes of genius on his day and he produced a delightful run and cross on 21 minutes that Amoo came within inches of turning home.

Lloyd was then forced to make a smart save to deny Mendy before Nikola Saric flashed a 20 yard piledriver just past the upright.

The away side continued to probe for a second just before the interval but both Kacaniklic and Amoo spurned their chances when well placed.

It was a similar story after the break with most of the action taking place in the Ashton half and it was no surprise when Brouwer doubled the advantage within two minutes of the restart after replacing Saric.

A third followed on 58 minutes when a free-kick was awarded on the left edge of the home side's area following a foul on Chris Mavinga, leaving Spearing to step up and curl a low shot into the far corner.

With any thought of a potential upset now over, the Reds continued to attack and after Brouwer fired wide from 12 yards, Mendy sealed the win seven minutes from time.

Liverpool Reserves: Oldfield, Irwin, Mavinga, Threlfall, Ayala, Spearing (Kohlert 60), Plessis, Kacaniklic, Mendy, Amoo (Palsson 68), Saric (Brouwer 46).

Liverpoolfc.tv man of the match: Alex Kacaniklic

(lu sur LiverpoolFC.tv)