Unlucky Town bowed out of a cup competition on penalties for the second time this season after drawing 1-1 with Liverpool at Anfield in an exciting Worthington Cup encounter. Jamie Clapham was the only man to miss in the shoot-out after Tommy Miller and El-Hadji Diouf had scored the goals in normal time.

The Blues lined-up with Matt Holland on the right of a back three with Thomas Gaardsøe and Mark Venus. In the midfield Tommy Miller came in alongside Jamie Clapham and Darren Ambrose. Hermann Hreidarsson and Jermaine Wright were the wing-backs with Pablo Couñago and Darren Bent up front.

Town did well in the early stages and, after Couñago had headed just wide, Tommy Miller put the Blues ahead. Jermaine Wright put in Darren Bent on the right, he crossed into the middle and the ball fell for Miller who hit a shot across Dudek who was surprisingly selected in the Liverpool goal.

Fourteen minutes gone and Town ahead, and not long after it could have been two with another Miller effort charged down on the edge of the penalty area. Liverpool's only chances up to then had been wild shots from El-Hadji Diouf.

On 21 Darren Bent put a shot well over from not far out after fine work on the right from Miller and Couñago. At the other end John Arne Riise hit a freekick into a Town wall.

Darren Bent was played in by Pablo Couñago in the 31st minute but the on-rushing Dudek dived in at his feet.

Vladimir Smicer brought the first real save from Andy Marshall on 32 after Diouf broke down the middle and played him in down the right. Marshall had little trouble with his shot across goal.

Two minutes later Pablo Couñago had the ideal opportunity to put Town two-goals up. Tommy Miller played the Spaniard in one-on-one but Dudek saved down to his left.

With two minutes left before the break Gaardsøe gave away a freekick on the left. Gerrard whipped the ball into the near post and Marshall punched the ball off a Liverpool players. Tommy Miller completed the clearance.

No Town changes at the break, hardly a surprise in a game where Town were more than matching more illustrious names.

The second half saw Liverpool take hold of the game and it wasn't long before they were on terms. Mark Venus allowed the ball to run past him on the left not realising that youngster Neil Mellor was behind him. With the striker making for the byline Venus lunged in, felling the attacker inside the area. Referee Gallagher pointed to the spot and El-Hadji Diouf beat Andy Marshall to his left.

Most of the rest of the half was Liverpool looking for a goal while Town, epitomised by the consistently excellent Thomas Gaardsøe. Many of these chances were falling to Mellor, none better than just after the goal when he broke through and put the ball past Marshall but off the post. Shortly afterwards Alun Armstrong took over from Pablo Couñago up front.

A rare Town attack saw Miller have a shot deflected over. From the corner Bent almost got his head to the ball at the far post.

On 57 John Arne Riise fell to the ground claiming that Jermaine Wright had hit him. Referee Gallagher failed to see anything wrong although a few minutes later he spoke to the Town wing-back.

Liverpool continued to dominate the play but without scoring, although a Herman Hreidarsson shot was dropped by Dudek, unfortunately not close enough to the on-rushing Darren Ambrose.

Town keeper Andy Marshall was at the centre of controversy in the 65th minute when Steven Gerrard broke through the Town defence. Marshall dived at the midfielder's feet and stopped the ball which broke back to Gerrard, receiving a blow to the head. Before Gerrard played the ball into the net referee Gallagher blew the whistle stopping play.

Although the referee was correct to stop play with a player down with a head injury, why he gave Town a freekick is anyone's guess. Marshall was rather unsportingly booed for the rest of the game.

The decision not to give the goal was clearly irking Steven Gerrard who clearly elbowed Darren Ambrose as the two challenged for the ball, something not seen by Gallagher who gave a Liverpool freekick.

Gerrard took out his frustrations further eight minutes later after a challenge with Hermann Hreidarsson, again using an elbow and again not seen by the referee.

Mellor was continuing to miss chances as the game entered the final ten minutes of normal time. Joe Royle switched a clearly tired Darren Ambrose for Jim Magilton who slotted into his normal role.

With three minutes to go Town almost snatched it. Mark Venus sent over a freekick from the right which seemed to hit Darren Bent and then the post. Jamie Clapham sent the ball back in but Hermann Hreidarsson's header went well wide. On 89 Naylor was sent on up front in place of Bent.

As the game entered injury time Baros and Riise hit shots over for the home side while Magilton went wide with an edge of the area effort.

Extra-time was not what the travelling Blue Army had really hoped for but their side had earned the draw despite being under the cosh for much of the second half.

The first shot of the extra period was from Naylor but he sent the ball wide. Town were looking the better team and Miller's low cross only just evaded the sliding Armstrong.

Andy Marshall did well to save with his feet from Riise a few minutes later, although there was a suspicion that Baros had handled the ball earlier in the move.

Despite Town having the majority of the play, orchestrated by Jim Magilton, they had only another Naylor shot to show for their efforts before the turnaround, a shot which was easy for Dudek.

Liverpool had the better chances of the second period with the best falling to Baros with three minutes left on the clock, but as he had done earlier, he sent the ball over the bar when he should have done better.

For the second time in a month Town faced penalties, to be taken at the Kop End. As in Liberec Matt Holland took the first kick and walloped it past Dudek to the keeper's left. Gerrard made it 1-1 before Jamie Clapham stepped up to take the Town second.

The left-sided player hit his kick high to Dudek's left but the ball cannoned off the bar. Not surprisingly Matt Holland was the first man to console him as he returned to the centre circle.

Baros, then Magilton, Riise, Miller, Carragher, Armstrong and finally Diouf all scored their kicks to give the shoot-out to the Reds 5-4 and send them into round five of the Worthington Cup at Aston Villa.

No boos for Town as the home fans celebrated and a fine performance to take into Saturday's league game against Rotherham. Town outplayed Liverpool for periods of the game, particularly in the first half, and had another chance been taken then, it is likely that the Blues would have gone through.

But there was no disgrace in defeat against Liverpool, and certainly a far better performance than on our last visit to Anfield.

Photo: Action Images

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