Football: Swindon's belief shakes Souness

Liverpool. . . . . . .2

Barnes 71, Wright 86

Swindon Town . . . . .2

Moncur 60, Scott 73

Attendance: 32,739

AS Liverpool's famous injury list dwindles to proportions manageable in any old fund- holding doctors' surgery, Graeme Souness has another difficulty. Instead of picking the fittest 11 and excusing them afterwards, he now has to discover the right blend and trust there will be no need for excuses.

He came within four minutes yesterday of needing the biggest one of all. Souness has presided over some rare embarrassments at Anfield, but he might have been in trouble explaining the loss of a home League match against the unfortunate whipping boys of the Premiership.

He settled for saying that the match would have taken a different course had his side taken their chances. 'We created a lot of opportunities and had the ball around the area enough times to win several games. I thought we played OK but then we weren't as professional as we should have been. You'll no doubt say Swindon played well.'

And so they did, their manager John Gorman justifiably full of praise for the way they took the game to the opposition. As he said, they were never in awe, though he was marginally less justified in suggesting they deserved to win.

Swift to counter Liverpool's attacks, they were patient and resilient. Adrift at the bottom they may be, but orchestrated by Martin Ling and John Moncur, they shone with self-belief.

Until this season's foray into the top flight, and the rumpus over their eventual non-

promotion four years ago, the answer to any quiz question regarding Swindon usually involved their long-serving, one- club defender John Trollope. There was something Trollopean about them yesterday - as in the Prime Minister's favourite author, that is. They were workmanlike, short of true class but there was always a touch of artistry bursting to get out.

Throughout, they gave Liverpool as good as they got, well served by Fraser Digby in goal. Jan Molby, with a string of short sharp passes, threatened to run the show in the first half. The Dane might have been a prototype for Mr Blobby were it not for his superior passing ability and singing voice, and he and John Barnes frequently prised openings.

But Swindon were much better organised than in August when they conceded five against Liverpool at the County Ground. It was no surprise when the visitors took the lead in the 59th minute, because they clearly wanted to do so. A cross from the right and pounds 4.7m- worth of centre-backs (Mark Wright and Neil Ruddock) was caught flat-footed, not for the first time, for Moncur to score.

Thus galvanised, Molby and Liverpool moved up a gear, got the equaliser through a Barnes header, and we waited for them to bag a couple more in the final 20 minutes, the period in which Swindon have conceded half their League goals. It was not to be. Gatt talks must be smoother than communications in Liverpool's central defence. Bruce Grobbelaar saved a piercing cross, but Kevin Scott reached the rebound. Liverpool managed another equaliser, this time through Wright's head, but if this is the last League match between the sides, Swindon will recall it with a much warmer glow than Liverpool.