7 Elite Academy’s Player Pathway partners AFC Liverpool Under-18s overcame early pressure from Wrexham AFC to secure a dramatic 2-1 win in the FA Youth Cup.

The Red youngsters found themselves under siege in the opening stages on Friday night, but two first-half goals proved to be enough at a busy Marine Travel Arena.

The reward for AFC Liverpool is another home tie, this time against Tyneside outfit South Shields, in the Final Preliminary Round of the competition in two weeks time.

The winners of that game will go onto the hat for the First Round Proper, when Football League clubs enter the competition

7 Elite Academy Director Anthony Godfrey, who manages the team as part of a sponsorship deal with AFC Liverpool, said: “I am immensely proud of the lads for what they’ve done tonight.

“Wrexham were physical but also technical in different departments, and for our lads to do what they did was brilliant to see. It was an honest, proud and hard working display.

“We expected them to come out hard early on, especially in the second half and we knew what we needed to handle it. Our boys put in a lot of great work tonight.

“This has been a great night for 7 Elite Academy as a whole. Thanks to 7 Elite Academy Chairman Wayne Scholes for the investment he puts in, but also staff at AFC Liverpool who can’t do enough for us and our coaches as well.”

Early pressure from Wrexham during the first half was tempered by two goals from AFC Liverpool’s Luke Porter on nine and twelve minutes, as the hosts found themselves on the front foot.

Wrexham hit back five minutes before the break, but they couldn’t draw level during the second half as AFC Liverpool sealed victory amid a lively atmosphere at the MTA.

AFC Liverpool Chairman, Chris Stirrup, said: “Tonight has been fantastic for our club, as we go onto the Final Preliminary Round of the FA Youth Cup for the first time.

“It was great to see so many fans from both teams enjoy a great game of football. The lads worked so hard for the win against a very tough Wrexham side.

“The players, staff and everyone else connected with AFC Liverpool and 7 Elite Academy. should be proud of themselves after tonight. It was a real team effort.”