National Football Youth League
North East Premier
Wednesday 12 January 2022
Played at Handsworth
SUFC 2021/22 Game #39
Everton U18 2 v Sheffield United U18 1
FA Youth Cup Round 4
Friday 14 January 2022
Played at Goodison Park
SUFC 2021/22 Game #40
Derby County 2 v Sheffield United 0
The Championship
Saturday 15 January 2022
SUFC 2021/22 Game #41
Games coming thick n fast at the mo' (Love It). Lots of meeting n greeting as well (socially distanced, we're not savages). This Blog is going to concentrate on the wonderful day out in Liverpool & the FA Youth Cup game in the evening at Goodison Park.
Roscoe Head
24 Roscoe St, Liverpool L1 2SX
I haven't checked recently, but the Roscoe Head was historically part of the CAMRA Famous Five. The five pubs which had been in every edition of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. Alongside the Star Tavern & Buckingham Arms in London, the Square & Compass in Dorset and the Queen's Head in Cambridge.
The Roscoe Head is named for/after William Roscoe. A leading campaigner against the slave trade. Born in Liverpool in 1753. His Dad had a Pub called the Bowling Green in Mount Pleasant, Liverpool. Roscoe was elected as an MP in 1806. He quickly realised it "wasn't for him". But, he was around long enough to cast his vote for the (successful) abolition of the slave trade. Salute.
Later in life, Roscoe was asked to investigate the claims of Margaret M'Avoy. Mags was a blind girl who, remarkably, demonstrated she could read ordinary books using her fingers. Billy R was asked to fully and forensically examine the science behind Margaret's SuperPower. That he did. With almost Carrier Bag Firm like attention to detail & wormholes & bollocks. Oh, he investigated alright. And, obvs, concluded that Margaret's amazing abilities were due to the fact that she was NOT blind. She was in fact a BLAGGER.
Love owt like that, me.
The Roscoe Head certainly looks the part. Small bar front, Higgledy Piggledy rooms off. Six cask ales chalked up. I went;
Neptune Brewery (Liverpool), Ezili, Pale Ale on Cask at 4%
Lots of lime & other citrusy doofer tiddly. A hint of bitterness up top, but that's really the only bitter. Full of flavour mind. Easy drinking sun's out but it's freezing beer. 3.75/5
The next leg saw us at another CAMRA Guide pub just along the street.
The Grapes
60 Roscoe St, Liverpool L1 9DW
The Grapes dates back to 1804.
I just love places like this. A glorious mix of traditional & funky. Bright, open, welcoming place, and you can see in through the windows. Seven cask on the handpulls & four pukka keg. Deffo Outstanding Pub Of The Day. I went;
Neptune Brewery (again) & Unbarred Brewery (Brighton) Collab, Albion, Scotch Ale, Wee Heavy on Cask at 5.7%
That smells of toffee. The taste is all about the malt. Comes stronger as you let it slide down. Some gentle burnt offering. Lovely beer. 3.75/5
Onwards. Onwards. To.
Baltic Fleet
33A Wapping, Liverpool L1 8DQ
(Some chimneys painted red to look like the funnels on a liner). Very sudued, verging on grim, grey & white paintwork outside.
Five cask & two keg on. I went;
Black Lodge Brewery (Liverpool), Crash On The Hill, Pale Ale on Cask at 3.9%
That was glorious. Particularly for a 3.niner. Galaxy hopped unfined & unfiltered. Lot of florals, but then some broadly apricot sugar. Everything lingering. Deffo Outstanding Beer Of The Day. 4/ 5
And, finally;
Love Lane Brewery, Bar & Kitchen
62 Bridgewater St, Liverpool L1 0AY
All bright, modern & gleaming in a converted industrial premises way. There seemed to be many rumours of Higson's on cask and keg, as well as their own. But, no materialisation. This place definitely needs more exploration on a subsequent visit.
There were six Love Lane on Keg, and a couple of broadly industrial kegs. I went;
Love Lane Brewery, Session IPA on Keg at 4.1%
(Claims Citra, Columbus & Chinook Hops). Smells fresh n zingy. Quite a lot of bitterness in it. But, everything comes in a rush. Fair enough for a "Session". 3.5/5
In a sense, 2-1 flattered the Young Blades. But, the wonderful nature of the Youth Cup means that anything can happen, anytime. Our goal came from Sai Sachdev on 88. But, who knows. Everything in for the 2+ 5. Blag an equaliser. Extra Time. Game on. But, unfortunately, that didn't happen.
(Geary did the bench, in the absence of a newly appointed U18 lead). I felt the set up was a little conservative. Peck & Arblaster are (at their level) very good players. Capable of closing, winning the ball, and using it creatively going forward. But, they were mainly very deep. And the attacking option was just try accurately in the channel for Louie Marsh and, particularly, Theo Williams. Don't get me wrong, that worked a good few times and created chances. But, it all looked a bit one dimensional.
In the second half, the Toffees really got it together, passes stretching our midfield and defence & pushing them ever deeper. And our outlet just became something hopeful.
Two down on 63, Geary sent on Fernando Macedo (76), Owen Hampson (78) and Will Lankshear (82). A bit more energy. A lot of Brazilian flag waving & rhythmic hand clapping from the Upper Bullens Road Stand. But no great difference to our chances.
I'm going to single out left back (#3) Tom Angell. Sorry. But I hope it's obvious to Tom himself & the Academy staff that an upwards growth spurt would help him out. He's smaller rather than taller. Not a titch by any means. He's got strong legs & body strength. He's actually wonderful in the air on balls hit down his bit. Reads them well. Sets his body. Good get off the ground technique and hang time. Powerful. He wins headers in other areas as well. And, he don't stop. Engine running all the time. Reading everything. Closing everything.
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