Town's two-year Premiership stint came to a sorry end as Liverpool beat them 5-0 to confirm the Blues' relegation. Two goals from John-Arne Riise and one each for Owen, Smicer and Anelka did the damage to Town and gave Liverpool second place in the table.

Town lined-up without Finidi George in the 16 while Mark Venus returned after his groin injury and joined John McGreal at the centre of defence. Titus Bramble continued at right-back and Hermann Hreidarsson on the left. Unusually Jamie Clapham started on the right of midfield with Reuser on the left and Holland and Miller in the middle. Last year's Anfield hero, Marcus Stewart, dropped to the bench as both Marcus and Darren Bent started up front.

Town started brightly and won an early corner but it wasn't too long before their last ditch stand looked even more desperate. In the 11th minutes a neat interchange of passes between Xavier and Owen saw the ball run through to Riise ten yards from goal and he buried the ball past Marshall.

And if that wasn't enough to end Town's Premiership dreams, news from Sunderland of Kevin Phillips' 17th minute goal was. The chants of ‘we'll be back as champions' started from there.

Darren Bent had Town's first decent chance, heading a Clapham cross after a fine Marcus Bent turn had given Clapham space on the right.

On 27 Martijn Reuser called for a penalty after his cross appeared to hit Hyypia on the hand. Referee Dunn was unimpressed with his protest.

There was a worry for Sven-Goran Eriksson on 31 as Steven Gerrard walked off with an injury. On came Vladimir Smicer and the Czech quickly had an effect on the game, making a strong run forward to the edge of the area where, under the attention of Bramble and McGreal, he fell to the ground. With Town players appealing for a dive the ball ran wide to an unmarked Riise who hit a shot straight across Marshall and into the net.

John McGreal was replaced by Fabian Wilnis on 38 feeling his back. Titus Bramble moved into the centre, Wilnis taking up his usual right-back role.

As the half ended Jamie Clapham hit a 20-yarder which went just wide. Darren Bent, who had had a largely quiet period, nipped in behind the defence, played the ball to Marcus Bent who gave Clapham his chance. Town hadn't played that badly but had failed to create too much clear cut and as so often had failed to defend adequately.

The second half was to see Town's situation get worse within 30 seconds. A long, high ball ought to have been dealt with comfortably by Bramble, but the Town defender first swung a leg wildly at it, then headed the ball into the path of Michael Owen who flicked the ball over Marshall for the third goal and the end of the game as a serious competition.

Darren Bent had a sniff of a goal on 49 when Sami Hyypia put Jerzy Dudek in trouble. Fortunately for the Finn the keeper nipped in first and cleared.

Town's performance was a microcosm of their season as a whole; periods of possession too often failing to lead to anything with atrocious, occasionally suicidal, defending and a failure to take chances when they have come.

Holland saw another effort fly over the bar as they have so often this season from a Hreidarsson cross on 51 before Liverpool added their fourth. Smicer ran into the area from the right and Hreidarsson and Bramble both failed to make tackles allowing the midfielder to lash his shot past Marshall. More bad defending, another goal.

Marcus Stewart made his bow after 67 minutes, Darren Bent, perhaps the player of next season, making way. Marcus Bent almost scored a minute later but Smicer was on the line to clear.

On 73 Titus Bramble, whose second half told the story of his season, almost headed over Andy Marshall, and not for the first time in the game.

Two minutes later and Bent had another good chance. Bramble brought the ball out of defence, played the ball to Stewart who slipped the ball through. Dudek rushed out and put the ball out for a corner.

Stewart had an even better chance a minute later. This time Bent played him through and, with the Liverpool defence calling for a flag, Stewart had time enough to pick his spot. He decided to put it to Dudek's right and the keeper just got a finger to it. Another incident which typified a player's season.

The final nail was hammered into Town's relegation coffin when Anelka was found completely unmarked on the edge of the area. The Frenchman hit home with Town defenders failing to keep their feet around him.

The Town crowd had spent much of the half singing ironically about the season to come. “We're going to Grimsby, you're not” was perhaps the best and past heroes were serenaded, the name of Bontcho Guentchev recalling an even more wretched relegation from a few years back.

After the whistle some of the Town players came over to applaud the fans, Venus and Hreidarsson throwing their shirts to fans. It was sad to note not all could make it over to thank fans who have followed them throughout this season and rarely with any reward.

Fans leaving the ground contemplated trips to Millmoor, the Priestfield Stadium and Blundell Park next season. All that the result of a season which had promised so much and took us to Moscow, to the San Siro, but finally to the First Division.

Photo: Action Images

GiveusaWave added 21:50 - May 11 Bye Bye Premiership. Hopefully we will get to see you again quite soon.....
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