Liverpool ran riot at Gigg Lane as they saw off Bury in the quarter final of the FA Youth Cup.
The home fans braved the cold and turned out in their hundreds to spur on the young Shakers throughout and make their presence heard.
But it was Barry Lewtas's Reds who emerged as convincing winners to complete the semi-final line up and a clash with Watford later this month.
In the early stages, both sides were getting used to the pitch and making significant usage of the long-ball before the game began to settle down.
Bury sat deep and remained compact within their five-at-the-back system, which forced Liverpool long to try and get in behind the hosts’ defence
Once the game opened up slightly, it was Liverpool who broke the deadlock. Bobby Duncan received the ball in the opposing half and turned gracefully, before releasing his strike partner and captain Paul Glatzel through on goal to fire the away side ahead.
That lead was doubled just before half time during Bury’s attempts to build from the back. Sam Allardyce’s backpass to keeper Jack Holden was underhit and the Reds’ attacking midfielder Jake Cain pounced on the loose ball to make it 2-0.
After the break, the rain really began to cut-up the pitch but both teams persevered with their respective styles.
It was the travelling side that were rewarded though, as Leighton Clarkson, who controlled the game from deep in the Reds’ midfield, found Glatzel from a corner and the Germany U18 striker's header made it 3-0.
Bury were not down and out as they continued to battle for every ball, displaying some nice interlinking moves down both wings.
A troublesome ball soon came from the right and following a scramble to get it clear, it found its way to Shakers captain Joe Adams who rifled his effort into the top-right corner to pull a goal back for the hosts.
Just minutes later though, Liverpool added their fourth through from a Cain corner which Bury struggled to clear. It fell to the Reds’ commanding centre-back Rhys Williams, whose deflected shot found the back of the net.
The Shakers continued to push for another goal and they so nearly got one. Callum Hulme, who had been central to a lot of Bury’s build-up play, curled a well-struck free-kick towards goal which rattled the underside of the crossbar and bounced on the goal line, but it was not to be.
Five minutes from time, a mistake in the Bury backline left Glatzel through on goal with Duncan to his left and he returned the favour from the opener with a simple assist for his strike partner to make it 5-1 to Liverpool.
Bury, very much the underdogs in this tie, put up a stern fight and effort all over the pitch to battle so well until the final whistle was remarkable.
But it is Liverpool that now progresses to the last four of the competition where they will face Watford over at home for a place in the final.
