MATT'S FULL-TIME VERDICT

LIVERPOOL 5, OLDHAM ATHLETIC 1

ATHLETIC succumbed to a harsh 5-1 loss at Liverpool’s hands – but it was anything but a defeat in disgrace.

The visitors trailed by one at the interval. After Robbie Simpson’s superb 20-yard opener had seared past a helpless Pepe Reina, Craig Bellamy’s fortunate deflection to a Jonjo Shelvey shot and a Steven Gerrard penalty on the stroke of half-time – given for a push by Tom Adeyemi – handed Kenny Dalglish’s men the advantage.

Athletic, though, had forged three other good scoring chances in the opening half prior to Liverpool’s resurgence.

Shefki Kuqi hit the side-netting when well placed, Adeyemi’s header from a Simpson corner flashed narrowly wide and Chris Taylor’s one-two ended with him poking a shot off target inside the box.

Paul Dickov’s men were in fact the more potent side in the first 45 minutes.

And they almost levelled soon after the break when Simpson’s effort from range deflected over the crossbar.

Bellamy was an increasingly menacing presence on the right wing and his crosses provided problems aplenty – before Adeyemi hit one well over the crossbar with his left foot when well-placed.

Liverpool, though, soon started to dominate.

Shelvey converted a Bellamy cross for the third, while the fourth was added by substitute Andy Carroll, hammering home first-time from 20 yards out with two minutes left on the clock.

Stewart Downing made it five in injury time, finding the roof of the net after Steven Gerrard’s shot was parried out to him by Cisak.