Liverpool's gallant fight was all in vain

What a crackerjack of a match and what a tremendous battle Liverpool put up in the final stages to save a point. It was nail-biting stuff from the first minute, and Bristol must have surprised even their most ardent followers by the brand of football they turned on in the first half, which had the Liverpool defence, at times, running round in circles.

An indication of the high-class entertainment which the crowd had came from the half-time ovation for both teams, but most of it was deserved by City, whose swift-passing speed to the ball and interchanging of positions was a joy and in sharp contrast, I was told, to the indifferent way they had played a few days earlier.

The fear that must have been in Bristol minds was whether their team could last the pace. They did, but to win this game they had to survive a hectic last five minutes which almost brought the goal for which Liverpool so desperately sought and so desperately fought.

There were enough thrills to make it almost impossible to take one's eyes away, and as City swept into the attack from the start, with Atyeo defying the belief that he is no longer the force he was, the crowd were given the chance to roar and they hardly stopped.

It was fitting that in thirteen minutes City took the lead. It was the result of a great move started by centre-half Williams, carried on by Atyeo and Hinshelwood, and when the winger put over a fast ball it was so close to goal that the unfortunate part from Rudham's view was that, instead of turning it outside, he put it against the post and there was Rogers to hammer in the rebound.

Yet, though Liverpool seemed slow and lacking in directness compared with City, they too produced some good football, and poor Jimmy Melia had a night which gave him the accolade of being the hardest working Anfield forward but also brought keen disappointment, for twice in the first half he missed chances on rare occasions when Liverpool were able to make them.

Rudham made one wonder save from Etheridge, hurling himself up to turn over a drive delivered with full power from ten yards, and as the pace maintained an incredible standard, City no doubt would count themselves unlucky that they were only one goal ahead at half-time.

When the lights came on in the second half - and they are not particularly good ones - it was still City who were the speedier outfit.

But gradually Liverpool were able to find a way through the defence, thanks principally to the energy and endeavour of Melia, and the City goal began to have one or two escapes.

Just when they were resigning themselves to the fact that the Liddell speed was out of place in this sort of match, he came along with a great shot which found Cook making an equally great save.

Melia misses

After this Liverpool played with some of the brilliance which had characterised City's first half showing, and it was Melia who went straight through and drove at Cook, and the bitter frustration he must have suffered was never more obvious than when he held his head in his hands after heading outside from a perfect Liddell cross following a move initiated by himself.

Then in the final few minutes, with Liverpool crowding on everything, Liddell veered in, hit a shot for the top corner which Cook somehow deflected away for a corner, and from this the goalkeeper made another terrific save by tipping over a flashing header from the Liverpool leader.

If we can see matches like this for the rest of the season there will be no quibble, and after giving credit to City for the way they played, it must be said that Liverpool had the chances, especially when they came into the match with such force.

Rudham did nothing to suggest that his selection was not justified and the defence, if wide open at times in the first half, covered and fought well with Wilkinson laying on a good service of passes which were eagerly taken on by the industrious Melia.

However, this was such an outstanding game with a rating of entertainment almost as high as one could wish for, that it goes hard to criticise anybody, although one would have wished to have seen Liverpool moving the ball quicker and A'Court going past his man instead of into him.

Atyeo shines

City were good all round, but none did better than Atyeo, who distribution and positional play was nice to watch, particularly in the first half.

Neither could this meeting have been more sporting, and for this the referee, Mr E.T. Jennings, of Worcester, must take some thanks, for his discrimination in allowing play to carry on kept the use of his whistle to a minimum.

Liddell and Molyneux both got knocks, Liddell very early in the game, and this might have affected his pace.

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