A clinical Liverpool under 23s side were 6-0 winners over a Rochdale select side on Wednesday night in the semi-finals of the Lancashire Senior Cup.
The Dale squad was a mix of youth and first team players. Steve Collis, Niall Canavan and Peter Vincenti were amongst the most experienced in the starting eleven, while 16-year-olds Aaron Morley and Hamzat also featured.
The hosts opened the scoring after just four minutes when Tom Brewitt turned the ball over the line from close range following a Yan Dhanda delivery into the area.
Soon after a dangerous ball, which evaded everyone, was drilled across the six-yard box by Andy Cannon, Liverpool's Sam Hart, who got in behind the Rochdale defence was kept out by Collis.
The Dale goalkeeper pulled off a wonderful save soon after to deny Dhanda, who tried to bend an effort into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Liverpool were proving to be a handful both on and off the ball, and they added a third in the 22 minute. Dhanda raced onto a defence splitting pass and stroked the ball home.
On the half hour, the home side tested again when Toni Gomes played in Hart. He beat the offside trap and looked for the bottom corner, only to be kept out by Collis, who dived to his right to get a strong hand to the effort.
Reuben Noble-Lazarus forced Caoimhin Kelleher into a save with a powerful effort from distance. The goalkeeper spilled the shot but was quick to smother at the second time of asking.
Just before half-time, the Reds netted their fourth of the evening, with Dhanda involved again. He picked out Hart, who lofted the ball over Collins for Gomes to head home on the line.
HT: LIVERPOOL 4-ROCHDALE
After the break, Rochdale had a couple of opportunities, but Liverpool stood strong.
Mark Kitching had a powerful effort blocked, before a swift move up the right saw Stewart deliver a dangerous ball to the back post for Noble-Lazarus, whose chance was defended behind.
Liverpool’s fifth came soon after. Dhanda, who had been instrumental in nearly all of their attacking play so far, bagged himself a second.
Despite the score-line, Rochdale didn’t fade from the game but couldn’t find a consolation goal, with Cannon blasting over the bar after some more good work down the right channel.
Matty Virtue made is six with seven minutes left to play, finishing at the near post.
As the play entered its last few seconds, Dhanda stung Collis’ palms with an excellent free-kick from the edge of the area.
FT: Liverpool 6-0 Rochdale
Dale XI: Collis, Cannon, Evans, Canavan, Hamzat, Morley, Kitching, RNL, Vincenti, Stewart, Gillam