Liverpool youngsters have learned a crucial lesson after their 1-0 win over Port Vale in the FA Youth Cup.

The Reds had to work hard on Wednesday night to achieve success.

In poor playing conditions and in front of 2000 fans, the Reds' youngsters had to battle for every ball to ensure they were not in danger of elimination from the competition.

The game was very different to matches the young under-18s side is used to playing at the club's academy on outstanding pitches.

Coach Marc Bridge-Wilkinson stated post-game, per the Liverpool Echo: "We can't be football snobs.

"We refuse to do that. This was a really good game, it's a different version of the game to what we play, but it's exactly the same as many people play every week. We want our boys to be able to play every version, from the Champions League level to the level where you have to fight and scrap for a result. They managed to do that here.

"It was a great experience for them. The pitch was soft, big, wet, it cut up, and wasn't conducive to what we would usually do, but it's still a really good pitch. It's a League One pitch, and if these boys want a career, this is the type of situation they have to get used to.

"It was tough. It was the type of game we expected and although we haven't performed particularly well and did not create the way we wanted to, the boys stuck with it and battled hard. Although we've come out with a win, it feels like we've not played to our level. But we got through the game and sometimes you have to win ugly."