Liverpool Echo report

IF kamikaze pilots formed a union, Liverpool's players would be putting themselves forward as leaders.

Three comfortable points were transformed into an insufficient one at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday, as the Reds let Bolton off a hook to which they should have been firmly skewered by half time.

And, on this occasion, they were not aided by the league leaders also slipping up.

Everything pointed to an away victory, even before Robbie Fowler had taken less than a minute to put Liverpool ahead.

Bolton may have beaten Chelsea seven days earlier - I don't know how - but they should never have taken anything from Roy Evans' men.

One only had to witness the reaction from the managers to have this view confirmed. Pleasure from the home boss, despair from the visitor.

I'd love to see Bolton stay up. Their new surroundings are quite magnificent, putting many of the more elite and established Premiership venues to shame. The team also attempts to play good football. It's just that it's not very good at it.

Bolton were feeble opponents, most definitely beatable, and that's the principal reason why Liverpool could not count Saturday as a success.

There were other reasons, too, such as Fowler's second half dismissal, Paul Ince's booking and the blatant refusal of referee Dermot Gallagher to punish any of Jamie Pollock's illegal challenges.

Gallagher, who had turned a blind eye too often, managed to spot the backhanded blow with which Fowler flattened Per Frandsen in the 75th minute. Mind you, I suppose even he couldn't have missed that.

If you're going to slug someone, it's best to do it when the referee's back is turned and when he's standing 60 feet away, not six.

True, the players did have an altercation - unspotted(!) -seconds earlier, but Robbie had to go. His three-match suspension will include a no-show at Arsenal at the end of this month.

Ince's booking also brings him a three-match ban, but his punishment is worse, for he misses Arsenal AND Manchester United.

No, not a happy day.

And yet it had all begun so well when Steve McManaman fed Fowler inside 60 seconds, and the striker cleverly made space in the box to fire a low, right foot shot into the far corner of the net.

Bolton were ragged and unsettled, and in Jimmy Phillips they had a nervy player taking on the home crowd as well as Liverpool.

Poor Jim knew he would be in for a tough time when his name was booed by his own team's fans. Little did he - or we - know he would have the last laugh.

Liverpool's first half play was excellent as they passed Colin Todd's side all over the park, being resisted only by the impressive Mark Fish.

If Evans is still scouring Europe for a centre-back, then it may be worth his while to make another short trip to the Reebok to watch a player who was head, shoulders and gills above any of his team-mates.

FISH was cool in possession, clean in his tackles and he popped up everywhere. A Fish called wander, you might say!

Nevertheless, while David James was largely untroubled and well protected by Dominic Matteo, Keith Branagan endured more anxious moments.

First, Fowler fired straight at him and McManaman curled a shot weakly into his arms before the keeper saved another Fowler effort at the second attempt.

I must admit I did not share the general half time view of my colleagues that the Reds could pay the penalty for not finishing off Bolton. I thought they'd still run out 2-0 or 3-0 winners.

Perhaps I have too much confidence in them. You see, I'm one of the few people who would not be surprised if they came from three goals down to eliminate Strasbourg tomorrow.

I still have faith in Liverpool. It's whether they have it in themselves.

Michael Owen, served by Fowler, tested Branagan after the break, but nowhere near as much as Fowler did in the 63rd minute. Released by McManaman, the forward had all the time in the world as he headed goalwards for what everyone thought would be the killer strike.

Remarkably, Branagan kept his composure and whipped the ball superbly off Fowler's toes to preserve the lifeline of a team which won it's first corner in the 73rd minute.

Fowler's sending off was equally significant, handing Bolton hope; hope which increased when Nathan Blake forced James into a smart, late save.

But, with six minutes remaining, Blake made Liverpool pay as he rose with Rob Jones to head home Phillips' deep cross for a draw which was more offered than earned.

Goals : Fowler (1 min), Blake (84).
Half-Time : 1-0 to Liverpool.
Attendance : 25,000.
Team (4-4-2): James, Jones, Kvarme, Matteo, Bjornebye, McManaman, Redknapp, Ince, Leohardsen, Fowler, Owen (Riedle 75).
Substitutes not used: McAteer, Neilsen, Harkness, Berger.
Sent-off: Fowler (75).
Booked: Bjornebye (20), Fowler, Ince (86).
Referee : Dermot Gallagher (Banbury).
League position: 8th (19 points after 12 matches).

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