Football: Liverpool fall to Beardsley's finishing touch

Everton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Liverpool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

PETER BEARDSLEY was always likely to embarrass his old club one day, and this was it, his sixth goal of the season halting Liverpool's surge up the Premier League last night and giving Everton a much-needed shot in the arm.

John Barnes was again in the sort of form which makes his return to the England team a formality, but it was his international contemporary and erstwhile Liverpool colleague who settled the 147th Mersey derby with the sweetest of finishes, six minutes from time.

Liverpool were the more accomplished side, and led through Mark Wright's 62nd-minute header, but Maurice Johnston galvanised Everton with a 20-yard curler, and Beardsley rewarded their never-say-die spirit with his dramatic late strike, from similar range.

It was their first win in the last 10 skirmishes with the old enemy, and only their second victory in the last 10 League games. Such was their disarray beforehand that it seemed if there were to be more derbies on Merseyside next season the Park would have to be Prenton rather than Goodison.

Going down? The inevitable chant went up when Wright's header went in, but it choked in a few thousand red muffled throats when Johnston equalised, two minutes later, and it was the blue legions who were roaring as the heroes capered off at the end.

With Alan Harper and Andy Hinchcliffe, their regular full- backs, both injured, Everton changed their defensive system, deploying Ian Snodin as a sweeper and detailing Martin Keown, the player Graham Taylor rates the best marker in the country, to shadow Barnes.

It was not a task he will have enjoyed, with England's most gifted forward again in incisive form, and at half-time Howard Kendall reverted to a flat back- four, with Snodin on the right and Keown in his customary central station.

Liverpool started with a rush, even without Ian, and Everton had to weather a difficult, backs- to-the-wall opening when they could easily have fallen behind before they were able to work their way into what was, for a long time, a strangely subdued derby.

There was no lack of effort but surprisingly little passion about the first-half play, reflected in the foul count. There were just five.

There were gasps all round the ground when Barnes, loping through in the inside left channel, was halted by a steely head-on challenge by Snodin, and collapsed in agony. Yet another injury?

Thankfully not. The magic sponge did its job and the player whose return has brought a new dimension to Liverpool's play was able to continue, and go on to exert what should have been a match-winning influence.

No sooner had he clambered off the ground than Neville Southall was sprawling on it, blocking bravely under the thundering hooves of the rampaging Ronny Rosenthal.

Southall then immediately denied the Israeli with an even better save, throwing up his hand to keep out a shot reminiscent of Rosenthal's spectacular winner against Queen's Park Rangers three weeks ago.

Everton sent on Peter Beagrie in search of greater penetration, but it was Liverpool who should have ended the stalemate after 50 minutes, when Torben Piechnik was found wanting at close range.

After waiting so long, the goals the game cried out for arrived like buses, two together. Wright showed his centre-back partner how to finish when he rose impressively, eight yards out, to head in Mike Marsh's corner from the left.

The equaliser was a curious one, Johnston letting fly with a speculative left-foot curler which Mike Hooper at first opted to leave. Too late, the goalkeeper realised that the ball was going in, which it duly did, via his right- hand post.

Barnes lacked Johnston's good fortune and was denied the goal he was deserved when his volley from 15 yards bounced out of the base of Southall's left upright.

Everton, though, waxed stronger the longer the game went on, and Johnston and Beardsley should have scored with unchallenged headers before Beardsley finally did so, when he accepted Gary Ablett's through-pass before drilling in a skimming shot from the edge of the 'D'.

Barnes - who else? - would have restored equality in the last minute had not Steve McManaman applied an unnecessary touch to his goalbound header, deflecting it wide. For Liverpool, it was that sort of night.

Everton: Southall; Horne, Ablett, Snodin (Rideout, 76), Watson, Keown, Kenny, Beardsley, Barlow, Johnston, Unsworth (Beagrie, h/t). Substitute not used: Kearton (gk).

Liverpool: Hooper; Marsh, Wright, Nicol, Piechnik, Hutchison (Stewart, 76) McManaman, Redknapp, Rosenthal (Walters, 69), Barnes, R Jones. Substitute not used: Grobbelaar (gk).

Referee: M Bodenham (Looe, Cornwall).

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