Ben Doak enjoyed a hugely impressive start to his Liverpool career as he helped inspired the under-18s to a resounding opening-day victory.
Doak, who officially arrived from Celtic in the summer for a compensation fee of around £600,000, scored twice in a 6-2 triumph against Middlesbrough in the U18 Premier League North at the Academy in Kirkby on Saturday afternoon.
Lewis Koumas, son of former Wales and Tranmere Rovers midfielder Jason, netted the other four goals as Marc Bridge-Wilkinson's side romped home in blisteringly hot conditions.
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Doak and Trent Kone-Doherty, another 16-year-old summer arrival also making his competitive debut, both caught the eye playing on the right and left wings respectively, with skipper Terence Miles shining at centre-back.
Liverpool dominated a one-sided first half and went ahead in slightly fortunate circumstances after just five minutes. Doak slalomed his way into the area from the right but appeared to overrun possession with Boro defender Luke Woolston ready to challenge. However, the attempted tackle instead deflected the ball off the sliding Doak and into the goal.
The home team's second goal on 10 minutes was more conventional, right-back Niall Osborne sending Koumas racing down the inside right channel into the area and holding off his marker before shifting the ball on to his left foot and firing through Boro goalkeeper Nathan Fisher at the near post.
Doak caused the visitors all sorts of problems with his pace and trickery, and it was too much for Law McCabe midway through the half with the Boro man tempted into a foul inside the area. Doak dusted himself down and sent Fisher the wrong way from the spot.
Koumas grabbed his second on the half-hour with a confident finish after again being sent clear of the Boro backline, although the visitors pulled a goal back almost immediately after lively left-back Max Howells fired home following a good run.
And Koumas completed his hat-trick in first-half injury time when he intercepted a poor backpass from Alfie Myers-Smith and demonstrated good composure to take the ball beyond Fisher and tap into the open net.
Shortly after Miles hit the crossbar with a header, the best goal of the game arrived on 61 minutes. A brilliant Doak turn sent him clear of Boro substitute Oliver Samuels, with the Scottish winger racing into the area and teeing up Ramal Young who rolled the ball into the path of Koumas to score his fourth. Ashley MacCarthy netted a consolation for Boro with 15 minutes remaining.
Liverpool are next in U18 Premier League North action on Saturday at Leeds United (kick-off 12pm).
LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Mrozek; Osborne, Pinnington, Miles, Giblin; Pennington (Laffey 58), McConnell; Doak (Figueroa 71), Young (Hayes-Green 82), Kone-Doherty (Gyimah 71); Koumas. Subs: Morana.
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