bluebastardo
Player Valuation: £40m
A young Blues outfit took on Skelmersdale United for a place in the Liverpool Senior Cup final against Liverpool.
But Neil Dewsnip's side were unable to overcome an older and more experienced side at College Stadium.
A goal in each half from Skem condemned Everton to defeat, with Damien Eastham in the hosts' goal not tested throughout the 90 minutes as much as the Blues would have liked.
The opening exchanges were played out mostly in the Everton final third, but without much cause for concern.
In fact, the first chance of any real note fell to Blues centre-forward, Conor McAleny, midway through the first half.
Luke Dobie found the number nine on the edge of the penalty who took his chance first time, but his low right-footer was a few yards wide of the left-hand post.
Just two minutes later though, the hosts went ahead.
John Cass received the ball in the inside-right channel, and was allowed time to pass inside to Kyle Armstrong.
Armstrong's somewhat hopeful side-footed effort from 25 yards drifted over Connor Roberts, dipping just below the crossbar, for the opener.
A brisk attack from the hosts nearly saw them doubling their advantage as Armstrong found himself through on goal, five minutes before the break.
He raced onto a mis-cued clearance, but stumbled as he went to strike and although the ball went just past the far post, it was a gilt-edged chance.
Femi Orenuga then came mightily close to levelling on the brink of half-time - when he raced down the left-hand side. His direct run took him past the Skem defence on the outside and he whistled an effort with his left-foot past the far post - which the goalkeeper may even have got a fingertip to the effort.
Skem's response was to come almost immediately after the restart, when substitute Ryan Wade acrobatically volleyed his side into a two-goal-lead, seemingly out of nothing.
The big-guns on the bench Jose Baxter, Shane Duffy and James Wallace - all with competitive first-team experience, - were brought into the fray by the hour-mark.
Irish centre-back Duffy, was given a rare run-out up front, with Dewsnip asking the 6ft 2in defender to give more of the crucial goalscoring attribute he has showed this term.
But Anton Peterlin's header over from Bidwell's left-wing cross was the closest they came to a reply.
The task got even harder with 10 minutes left, when Baxter was dismissed after a late challenge and the chance of an all-Merseyside final was gone.
But Neil Dewsnip's side were unable to overcome an older and more experienced side at College Stadium.
A goal in each half from Skem condemned Everton to defeat, with Damien Eastham in the hosts' goal not tested throughout the 90 minutes as much as the Blues would have liked.
The opening exchanges were played out mostly in the Everton final third, but without much cause for concern.
In fact, the first chance of any real note fell to Blues centre-forward, Conor McAleny, midway through the first half.
Luke Dobie found the number nine on the edge of the penalty who took his chance first time, but his low right-footer was a few yards wide of the left-hand post.
Just two minutes later though, the hosts went ahead.
John Cass received the ball in the inside-right channel, and was allowed time to pass inside to Kyle Armstrong.
Armstrong's somewhat hopeful side-footed effort from 25 yards drifted over Connor Roberts, dipping just below the crossbar, for the opener.
A brisk attack from the hosts nearly saw them doubling their advantage as Armstrong found himself through on goal, five minutes before the break.
He raced onto a mis-cued clearance, but stumbled as he went to strike and although the ball went just past the far post, it was a gilt-edged chance.
Femi Orenuga then came mightily close to levelling on the brink of half-time - when he raced down the left-hand side. His direct run took him past the Skem defence on the outside and he whistled an effort with his left-foot past the far post - which the goalkeeper may even have got a fingertip to the effort.
Skem's response was to come almost immediately after the restart, when substitute Ryan Wade acrobatically volleyed his side into a two-goal-lead, seemingly out of nothing.
The big-guns on the bench Jose Baxter, Shane Duffy and James Wallace - all with competitive first-team experience, - were brought into the fray by the hour-mark.
Irish centre-back Duffy, was given a rare run-out up front, with Dewsnip asking the 6ft 2in defender to give more of the crucial goalscoring attribute he has showed this term.
But Anton Peterlin's header over from Bidwell's left-wing cross was the closest they came to a reply.
The task got even harder with 10 minutes left, when Baxter was dismissed after a late challenge and the chance of an all-Merseyside final was gone.
