By admin 
As Liverpool maintained their pressure at the top of the U18 Premier League North, Kieran Morrison notched an impressive hat-trick.
Morrison, who will only turn 17 next week, scored twice after the break and once in the first half to help the young Reds defeat Middlesbrough 3-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Academy.
Goalie Kornel Misciur, who was acquired from Hull City in the summer, turned away a penalty kick as Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s team bounced back from two straight losses to close the gap on leaders Manchester United in second place by three points.
As Trey Nyoni was playing for the under-21s and leading scorer Jayden Danns was sidelined due to injury, Josh Sonni-Lambie, one of the Academy’s younger players, got his first start for the U18s.
Charlie Lennon, found by Morrison’s cutback, missed an early opportunity for Middlesbrough by hitting the side netting, and Francis Gymiah erred in his shot.
After being released into the area by Kyle Kelly’s pass, Ranel Young scored Liverpool’s first goal on the 26th minute. His shot deflected off a defender, goalkeeper Cameron Simpson, and the crossbar before winger Morrison tapped in the rebound. However, in just ten minutes, Middlesbrough equalized through a left-wing cross from Rio Patterson-Powell, which Frankie Coulson scored with a side kick.
The visitors had the better of the first half, but Morrison’s goal two minutes into the second half gave Liverpool the lead again as he hammered a loose ball into the net. However, they owed Misciur a debt of gratitude soon after, as he prevented Patterson-Powell’s spot kick from hitting the woodwork with his feet after Wellity Lucky had fouled him.
And in injury time, Morrison completed the victory with another brilliant strike that went in off the crossbar to earn him his treble as Middlesbrough pressed for an equalizer.
On Saturday, Liverpool’s U18 Premier League North matchup is against Stoke City (kick-off time: 11.30am).
LIVERPOOL U18s (4-3-3): Morrison, Sonni-Lambie, Young (Upton 81); Miscour; Pitt, Lucky, Enahoro-Marcus (Pennington 46), Gymiah; Kelly, Onanuga, Laffey. Replacements: Martin, Furnell-Gill, and Morana. RENTAL: Laffey.