Articles
Owen lifts Vale to keep Liverpool's dream alive
By Daniel Taylor
It is sometimes difficult to remember that Vale Park was once dubbed the Wembley of the North. Old-timers from these parts wistfully recall that the ground was built in the inner sanctum of Burslem to rival the Twin Towers as a national stadium.
Yesterday, however, the wide spaces and vast playing surface served only to contribute to Port Vale's downfall as Liverpool's superior passing game emphatically exposed the gulf in status between Premiership and First Division basement to secure a comfortable passage into the fourth round on a route intended to culminate at the rather more palatial Wembley of the South.
First, though, Liverpool must overcome the challenge of Manchester United after being pitted against their arch rivals in a cruel twist of fate which took the gloss off their victory.
"It will be a tough game. We know of their pedigree but if want to win the competition we will have to beat these teams at some stage, so why not now?" said Liverpool's manager Gerard Houllier.
With Vale Park resembling a building site, Liverpool were forced to overcome the culture shock of using a Portakabin as a dressing-room because of a £4 million redevelopment of the modest stadium's Lorne Street stand.The humble surroundings were a far cry from the usual luxuries enjoyed by a team ranking among the country's football elite, and the reputation of John Rudge's mischief-makers had made for grim reading for the visitors beforehand.
Since Terry Venables watched his Tottenham side sink without trace in Vale Park's ankle-deep mud in 1988, several teams including Everton, Leeds and Liverpool themselves had undergone harrowing examinations at the hands of the Potteries' hoi polloi.
Only last season Arsenal suffered the greatest scare of their ultimately successful Double campaign when they were held to a goalless draw by Vale at Highburybefore winning the replay courtesy of the final kick of a penalty shoot-out.
In the build-up to another potential banana skin, Houllier had wisely sought the advice of his fellow Frenchman Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, for the low-down on Vale's posse of journeymen and up-and-coming hopefuls.
It was a wise move by Houllier. Liverpool wasted no time in taking a firm grip on affairs, with the imperious Jamie Redknapp and Patrik Berger dictating the midfield play.
With the majority of action condensed in home territory, the yawning chasm between these two sides was apparent to everyone crammed into the ground's remaining three stands.
Berger's vision created the first opportunity, the Czech shrugging off Brian McGlinchey's attentions before sending a raking pass from inside his own half to send Michael Owen scampering clear. In a flashthe England striker had evaded the home defence, but Vale's goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington was equally alert.
The visitors continued to dictate the pattern of the game and it was no surprise when Owen, whose father Terry is a former Vale player, gave Liverpool a 34th-minute lead from the penalty spot.
Jason McAteer released Owen who, after skipping past Paul Beesley's initial challenge, was flattened by the considerable frame of Dave Barnett, the referee Rob Harris pointing to the penalty spot for a decision reminiscent of the penalty Owen won for England during the World Cup game against Argentina.
Owen picked himself up to dispatch the kick low and hard to Pilkington's rightand in so doing created a club record for scoring on his debut in every senior competition.
With the hosts still holding an inquest, Liverpool almost increased their advantage a few minutes later when Berger's header beat Pilkington but was hacked away by McGlinchey, with the visiting players appealing that the ball had crossed the line.
But there was no doubting Liverpool's second goal only 60 seconds later. Berger's free-kick was headed across goal by Phil Babb and Paul Ince pounced from close range with a glancing header.
Injury and illness had forced Rudge to field a patched-up side, with Neil Briscomaking his first senior appearance since his arrival in the summer on a free from Manchester City.
It was apparent that Vale's only hope was to reduce the arrears soon after the interval. Tony Naylor was afforded that opportunity when he was sent clear by Allen Tankard's exquisite through-ball but the striker was denied at the last moment by Babb's saving tackle.
In a desperate attempt to salvage at least a draw, Rudge shuffled his pack midway through the second half. But increasing his attacking options by introducing a third striker served only to give Liverpool greater space to exploit.
Robbie Fowler, a 61st-minute substitute for Karlheinz Riedle, struck the side netting on two occasions before he settled the tie in the dying seconds with a powerful left-foot drive after the irrepressible Owen had flummoxed Michael Walsh on the left flank.
Copyright - The Guardian
It is sometimes difficult to remember that Vale Park was once dubbed the Wembley of the North. Old-timers from these parts wistfully recall that the ground was built in the inner sanctum of Burslem to rival the Twin Towers as a national stadium.
Yesterday, however, the wide spaces and vast playing surface served only to contribute to Port Vale's downfall as Liverpool's superior passing game emphatically exposed the gulf in status between Premiership and First Division basement to secure a comfortable passage into the fourth round on a route intended to culminate at the rather more palatial Wembley of the South.
First, though, Liverpool must overcome the challenge of Manchester United after being pitted against their arch rivals in a cruel twist of fate which took the gloss off their victory.
"It will be a tough game. We know of their pedigree but if want to win the competition we will have to beat these teams at some stage, so why not now?" said Liverpool's manager Gerard Houllier.
With Vale Park resembling a building site, Liverpool were forced to overcome the culture shock of using a Portakabin as a dressing-room because of a £4 million redevelopment of the modest stadium's Lorne Street stand.The humble surroundings were a far cry from the usual luxuries enjoyed by a team ranking among the country's football elite, and the reputation of John Rudge's mischief-makers had made for grim reading for the visitors beforehand.
Since Terry Venables watched his Tottenham side sink without trace in Vale Park's ankle-deep mud in 1988, several teams including Everton, Leeds and Liverpool themselves had undergone harrowing examinations at the hands of the Potteries' hoi polloi.
Only last season Arsenal suffered the greatest scare of their ultimately successful Double campaign when they were held to a goalless draw by Vale at Highburybefore winning the replay courtesy of the final kick of a penalty shoot-out.
In the build-up to another potential banana skin, Houllier had wisely sought the advice of his fellow Frenchman Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, for the low-down on Vale's posse of journeymen and up-and-coming hopefuls.
It was a wise move by Houllier. Liverpool wasted no time in taking a firm grip on affairs, with the imperious Jamie Redknapp and Patrik Berger dictating the midfield play.
With the majority of action condensed in home territory, the yawning chasm between these two sides was apparent to everyone crammed into the ground's remaining three stands.
Berger's vision created the first opportunity, the Czech shrugging off Brian McGlinchey's attentions before sending a raking pass from inside his own half to send Michael Owen scampering clear. In a flashthe England striker had evaded the home defence, but Vale's goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington was equally alert.
The visitors continued to dictate the pattern of the game and it was no surprise when Owen, whose father Terry is a former Vale player, gave Liverpool a 34th-minute lead from the penalty spot.
Jason McAteer released Owen who, after skipping past Paul Beesley's initial challenge, was flattened by the considerable frame of Dave Barnett, the referee Rob Harris pointing to the penalty spot for a decision reminiscent of the penalty Owen won for England during the World Cup game against Argentina.
Owen picked himself up to dispatch the kick low and hard to Pilkington's rightand in so doing created a club record for scoring on his debut in every senior competition.
With the hosts still holding an inquest, Liverpool almost increased their advantage a few minutes later when Berger's header beat Pilkington but was hacked away by McGlinchey, with the visiting players appealing that the ball had crossed the line.
But there was no doubting Liverpool's second goal only 60 seconds later. Berger's free-kick was headed across goal by Phil Babb and Paul Ince pounced from close range with a glancing header.
Injury and illness had forced Rudge to field a patched-up side, with Neil Briscomaking his first senior appearance since his arrival in the summer on a free from Manchester City.
It was apparent that Vale's only hope was to reduce the arrears soon after the interval. Tony Naylor was afforded that opportunity when he was sent clear by Allen Tankard's exquisite through-ball but the striker was denied at the last moment by Babb's saving tackle.
In a desperate attempt to salvage at least a draw, Rudge shuffled his pack midway through the second half. But increasing his attacking options by introducing a third striker served only to give Liverpool greater space to exploit.
Robbie Fowler, a 61st-minute substitute for Karlheinz Riedle, struck the side netting on two occasions before he settled the tie in the dying seconds with a powerful left-foot drive after the irrepressible Owen had flummoxed Michael Walsh on the left flank.
Copyright - The Guardian
