30.09.2006 / bolton 2-0 liverpool

..feza.. · Site Admin Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 304

GARY SPEED'S controversial opener left Liverpool feeling the away-day blues again.

Bolton veteran Speed fired home after Jose Reina was wrongly penalised for handling outside his box as he kicked from hand.

The assistant referee flagged for the offence despite being 10 yards behind the play.

He quickly got himself in position parallel to the 18-yard line but TV replays showed Kop stopper Reina had let go of the ball two yards INSIDE the box.

Speed was not about to pass up a shooting opportunity, though, and after Ivan Campo touched the ball forwards, he rifled home on his 750th career appearance.

Campo made sure of the win with a thumping second-half header and again the linesman was involved - this time correctly, though.

Kevin Davies whipped over a cross and Campo beat Steve Finnan in the air to head goalwards.

The ball landed over the line after smacking the bar before bouncing out.

However, the lino awarded the goal to leave the visitors dead and buried.

Kop boss Rafa Benitez was angry about Bolton's opening goal.

He said: "It is clear that Pepe Reina was inside the area and the ball was in the air, the linesman was in a bad position but we cannot change decisions like that.

"Then we conceded the second too early in the second half and from then on it was very difficult.

"It is the first time I have seen such a free-kick given in England but what can you do?

"I could see a monitor, I could see immediately that Pepe was in the box when he released the ball from his hands.

"I have not seen the point in complaining now to the referee, the linesman was in a bad position but it cannot be changed. That incident changed the game because we were in control and playing well."

Benitez's men had plenty of chances but they just could not get past Bolton keeper Jussi Jaasekelainen.

The Reds have now picked up just one point from four away league games following three straight defeats on their travels and their title bid is already rocking.

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce revealed his side were fired up by comments from Benitez and the Anfield camp before the game.

He said: "The players were a bit annoyed by the things that had been said about us from the Liverpool end. They were talking about it before the game and we pinned up on the wall the articles being critical of us.

"It helped the players go out and give that extra little bit. But whenever you play Liverpool you know the players will give that bit extra and run that bit longer.

"That is natural trying to compete against millions and millions of pounds worth of talent over and above what we can spend.

"To be able to compete at this level, when you haven’t got that great spending power you have to have other things to nullify the opposition.

"We do that very, very well within the laws of the game. We do not step outside of those and we maximise our talent. It’s a fantastic three points against one of the big boys."

He added: "The half-chances Liverpool got saw my people prepared to die to stop the ball going in the net, they threw bodies at it and there were great saves from the keeper.

"Our opportunities were very few but we have taken them. That is crucial in the Premiership and certainly against Liverpool because we knew we were not going to create many chances.

"We might have been fortunate with the free-kick for our first one but we have taken full advantage of it. The second goal was crucial, a peach of a goal.

"That put Liverpool on the back foot and from then on our defensive qualities as a team were outstanding. We sent our fans home happy with another big scalp.

"After winning at Portsmouth, it is a great finish to a very, very good week for everyone at this club."

Kop boss Benitez made four changes from the team which beat Galatasaray in the Champions League in midweek.

Out went Daniel Agger, Peter Crouch, Fabio Aurelio and Luis Garcia with Mohamed Sissoko, Sami Hyypia, John Arne Riise and Craig Bellamy returning.

England boss Steve McClaren was at the Reebok to watch the game and he got a better reception than Benitez.

The Liverpool boss had made no secret of his dislike for Bolton's style and the home fans let him know they were not too impressed with the views of the Anfield camp.

Liverpool's first chance came when Dirk Kuyt saw a header well saved by Jaaskelainen.

Then on 15 minutes Abdoulaye Faye was booked for hauling down Steven Gerrard, Benitez again venting his anger on the touchline.

Liverpool were unfortunate not to take the lead when Bellamy's cross from the left was headed out to Xabi Alonso, who struck an 18-yarder against a post and behind with Jaaskelainen beaten.

Then came the first contentious flash point. Faye, already cautioned, caught Kuyt on the back of his head with an arm but the referee chose to give the defender a lengthy warning than another card.

The Dutch striker sprinted to the dressing room for further treatment and returned with his hair caked in blood.

And within minutes Bolton were ahead, as Speed hammered home.

Jaaskelainen made a fine block from a Gerrard drive but Bolton finished the half putting Liverpool under intense pressure from set pieces.

Two minutes into the second half Speed was booked for pulling back Jermaine Pennant and two minutes later Kuyt was taken off to allow Crouch into the fray.

But Liverpool's task was made even harder on 50 minutes when Bolton went two ahead.

Davies was allowed to fire in a cross from the right and Campo nodded home for his third goal of the season.

Three long-range efforts from Alonso was all Liverpool could muster in response before Benitez took off the disappointing Pennant and sent on Luis Garcia on 58 minutes.

Crouch was booked for a two-footed lunge at Speed on 74 minutes and Liverpool sent on Bolo Zenden for Sissoko a minute later just before Bellamy wasted a decent chance created when Gerrard robbed Nicky Hunt.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Meite, Faye, Ben Haim, Davies, Campo, Nolan, Diouf (Giannakopoulos 87), Speed, Anelka (Vaz Te 84). Subs not used: Walker, Tal, Fojut.
Booked: Faye, Speed.
Goals: Speed 30, Campo 51.

Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Pennant (Luis Garcia 59), Sissoko (Zenden 75), Alonso, Gerrard, Kuyt (Crouch 49), Bellamy. Subs not used: Dudek, Agger.
Booked: Crouch.

Att: 25,061

Ref: P Dowd (Staffordshire).

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