| Sunday 26 January 14:35 FA Cup
4th Round |
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| "Chelsea" |
1 - 2 |
"Liverpool" |
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(0-1) |
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| GOAL |
| Speedie 62 |
|
Rush 45, Lawrenson 47 |
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Team: 1. Eddie
Niedzwiecki, Colin Lee, Keith Dublin, Pates, Rougvie, Bumstead, Pat Nevin, Nigel Spackman, Kerry Dixon, David Speedie,
Jerry Murphy.
Subs: 12. Canoville. |
|
Team: 1. Bruce
Grobbelaar, 2. Steve Nicol, 3. Jim Beglin, 4. Mark Lawrenson, 5. Ronnie Whelan, 6. Alan
Hansen (c), 7. Paul Walsh, 8. Craig Johnston, 9. Ian Rush, 10. Jan Molby, 11. Gary
Gillespie.
Subs: 12. Sammy Lee. |
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| SUBSTITUTIONS |
| Dixon (Canoville 8) |
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| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Alan Robinson |
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| VENUE |
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MANAGERS |
Stamford Bridge (capacity )
Attendance: 33,625 |
|
John Hollins (Watford)
Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool) |
 Price: 60 pence
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Reds end the Chelsea
jinx
The experience of Liverpool triumphed over the youth of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
yesterday.
Kenny Dalglish's men brushed aside the spirited challenge of the 10-man Londoners
to move into today's FA Cup fifth round draw and finally bury a jinx which has haunted
them for almost two decades.
Three times since their first-ever cup triumph back in 1965 the Anfield side have
seen their dreams of Wembley shattered by Chelsea, but there was to be no mistake this
time as a television audience running into millions was given another stark reminder that
Dalglish is well on the way to building a Liverpool side fit to line-up alongside the
greats of yesteryear.
The first half was littered with inviting openings for both sides but as the match
wore on the Reds exerted their authority.
Bearing in mind the prize at stake it really wasn't too surprising that a high
percentage of the early play was confined to an over-populated central area. With Mark
Lawrenson again pushed forward and extra defender Jan Molby following his natural instinct
to edge up field Liverpool found both comfort and constant possession in numbers.
While this potentially physical battle was mercifully devoid of overzealous
assaults the flow of the game was constantly interrupted by the arrival of both trainers
to attend players hurt not so much as a direct result of malice but rather of
over-exuberance.
This was no better illustrated than in the sixth minute when Kerry Dixon was
stretchered off the pitch and out of Chelsea's trophy hunt damaging his groin in a forlorn
bid to reach one of Eddie Niedzwiecki's enormous clearances.
He was followed back to the dressing room some 35 minutes later by full back Colin
Lee - a second hammer blow which left the Londoners facing the daunting prospect of
halting Liverpool's march with 10 men.
While Liverpool's composure was as predictably reliable was ever Chelsea's two most
inviting openings did come about as a direct result of sloppy defensive work. After 15
minutes Bruce Grobbelaar fumbled Jerry Murphy's inswinging corner and was rather fortunate
to see Ronnie Whelan leap to the rescue with a timely clearance. Eight minutes later
Lawrenson's attempted lob to his goalkeeper was very nearly punished by the alert Pat
Nevin.
Tragically for Chelsea the break-through came two minutes into injury-time at the
end of the first half. Lawrenson's shot across the face of goal was only half cleared by
the severely rattled Keith Dublin. The ball struck Craig Johnston and fell for Rush who
pushed wide to make an angle for himself before firing home from eight yards.
Outnumbered and forced to reshuffle at the back, Chelsea paid a high price for
defensive laxity just two minutes after the re-start. Steve Nicol found Paul Walsh who in
turn fed the onrushing Lawrenson, whose shot squirmed its way beneath the frame of
Niedzwiecki. A match which was seemingly all over bar the shouting was dramatically
transformed into a competition once again after 67 minutes when Chelsea struck back to
grab an unlikely lifeline.
Nevin's free kick from the left was only partially cleared by the head of Gary
Gillespie and David Speedie was on hand to hook the ball home over a stranded Liverpool
rearguard.
By Ian Ross of "Liverpool Daily Post"
Copyright - Liverpool Daily Post |
