Andrew locks the door on Liverpool

Two soft goals typified a soft game, and if Stoke consider themselves unlucky only to draw then they must realise they had chances to win.

When you add the fact that White, Liverpool's centre half, hit his own bar in the 6th minute and Bowyer, Stoke's inside right, hit a post in the 85th minute it looks like a Stoke hard luck story. Don't believe it.

Two poor teams got a point each and it was all they deserved.

The second half, without producing a feast of football, did produce some thrills. Stoke raided with more purpose and had Liverpool's defence scrambling desperately on occasions.

But it was the Stoke defence that fell first. Liverpool inside right Harrower took the ball almost out of Robertson's hands and whipped it into the net from an oblique angle.

Stoke equalised nine minutes later. Wilshaw was fouled by Wheeler in full flight for goal - and Newlands scored from the penalty spot.

White off

More misfortune befell Liverpool in the 85th minute for, after Bowyer's shot was deflected onto a post, centre-half White went down and was taken off on a stretcher.

Stoke's star was their centre half Andrew. His calm command of the middle locked the door completely. Stoke's defence was competent throughout, which is more than can be said of their attack.

Liverpool owed much to Melia and Harrower, but some side is going to give them a tanning one of these days.

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