Wolves 1, Liverpool 0: Bill Howell's big match verdict and player ratings

Dec 30 2010

THE ghost of 1984 match-winner Steve Mardenborough was finally exorcised on an unforgettable evening that will long live in Molineux folklore.

Stephen Ward’s 56th-minute winner – his first goal for the club since February 2007 at Ipswich in the Championship – turned Wolves’ season on its head and lifted them back off the bottom of the Premier League.

Without an away win this season and having taken just a solitary point on their travels before seven straight losses, they were written off by one and all.

But a mountainous performance breathed real life into their survival bid.

Ward’s goal was simple enough as he latched on to Sylvan Ebanks-Blake’s through ball between Liverpool’s napping centre-backs.

Pepe Reina rushed off his line but Ward beat him to it and with a clever, neat and tidy left-foot finish into the corner sent the travelling fans into dreamland.

Wolves had not scored against Liverpool since Kenny Miller’s injury-time leveller seven years ago.

That they deserved the win – only their fifth of a troubled campaign where they have made even Liverpool’s form look consistent – was not in doubt.

Wolves were totally dominant after the break after being the better side in the first.

They would have won it by a bigger margin had skipper Kevin Foley not been denied by a desperate sliding block by Glen Johnson which saved a certain goal with Liverpool all at sea.

With their backs to the wall last March Mick McCarthy’s men won at Burnley and West Ham and drew at Villa. But a victory at Anfield – and in some style too – looked beyond the bounds of possibility.

McCarthy had made just one change to the side beaten at home by Wigan with Matt Jarvis replacing Dave Edwards. The bad news appeared to be that Steven Gerrard was back for the hosts. But the England midfielder was as anonymous as a WikiLeaks source.

Wolves hustled and harried from the off. Liverpool were clueless.