Liverpool 1 Rovers 1

[Alan75]

Craig Bellamy's 63min goal, cancelled out Benni McCarthy's 17th min goal to give Liverpool a share of the points this afternoon.

Rovers went in at half time leading 1-0 thanks to a 17th min goal by Benni McCarthy who right-footed in from 12 yards, a right wing cross from David Bentley into the bottom left hand corner of the Liverpool net.

However former Rover striker Bellamy, who had been left unmarked headed home Liverpool's equalizer in the 63 min. Although Rovers could have snatched all 3 points in the dieing stages when Bentleys shot was pushed on to the post by Reina and out for a corner.

player analasys by cocker

Ok, here is what I thought about yesterday.

Brad: Awesome - so glad he was passed fit

Ooijer - Best game for us so far - did his job well

Zura - I like him allot - did well again

Neill - seemed to drift off from time to time - will put it down to travel

Bert - He continues to surprise me - WELL DONE BERT

Bentley - mostly good however, I wish he would take his man on sometimes.

Savage - Did his normal solid job - lucky not to be sent off (I dont care what anyone says)

Tugay - Looked wrecked. Needs Reid to come back and give the old horse a break

Pedersen - Unfair to totally slate him. He seemed to do quite a bit of team work yesterday rather than take all of the glory

McCarthy - I like him more and more each game - bargain buy for us really - well done on him becoming a Daddy this week too

Nonda - His work rate is awesome and he was taking a couple of Liverpool players away with him each time he moved leaving Benni with a bit more room. He is a very intelligent player. I am glad that Hughes has the headache of playing him or Roberts with Benni (I am leaving Jeffers out of this)

Subs

Axe - cant complain - did what had been asked of him

Gallagher - I was raging with him on occasion (you didn't see him just stood around with his hands on his hips on Football First) I just kept looking at him in disbelief thinking that he had fresh legs and he was trying to push his way in the team - I was wrong - he didn't look arsed.

Roberts - I like him - he held the ball up superbly.

Other things:-

Bellemy - Not all Rovers fans booed him - just a few. Thanks to Bellers really for not taking the mick out of us for the minority that gave him stick (He scored a goal for Liverpool - so what, its his job - did anyone really think he wouldn't score against us to say thankyou or something - I thank him for giving us Benni anyway)

Mark Hughes's post match comments

"You expect to come under pressure at Anfield but we coped and we restricted them to a few chances. Late on we might have even stolen the win.

"I was delighted with the performance. I thought some of our play was really progressive - you have to be brave in and out of possession.

"We created Liverpool problems, getting out wide and putting in crosses."

Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Aurelio, Pennant (Luis Garcia 53), Alonso, Gerrard, Riise, Crouch, Bellamy.

Subs Not Used: Dudek, Gonzalez, Paletta, Zenden.

Booked: Hyypia.

Goals: Bellamy 64.

Rovers: Friedel, Emerton, Ooijer, Khizanishvili, Neill, Bentley, Savage, Tugay (Mokoena 72), Pedersen (Gallagher 72), McCarthy (Roberts 80), Nonda.

Subs Not Used: Brown, McEveley.

Booked: Bentley, Neill, Savage.

Goals: McCarthy 17.

Att: 44,206.

Ref: M Clattenburg