[lfc-news] Carling Cup report - PA

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PA Sport, 10 Nov 2004
Liverpool 2 Middlesbrough 0

Neil Mellor scored twice tonight as Liverpool's rising stars secured a
place in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.

The 21-year-old striker made the most of a rare first-team appearance to
notch goals in the 83rd and 89th minutes.

It was just the result Liverpool wanted, and came on a night of high
emotion following the death of former captain Emlyn Hughes.

Coach Rafael Benitez gave some of his promising youngsters a run-out
against the holders and they did him proud.

Mellor, Darren Potter, Zak Whitbread and Stephen Warnock were all included
from the start, while John Welsh and Ritchie Partridge came off the bench.

Liverpool players wore black armbands as a mark of respect to Hughes, who
died yesterday.

And a minute's silence was respectfully observed by both sets of supporters
before the action got underway.

Liverpool made a bright start and Igor Biscan stung the fingers of
goalkeeper Carlo Nash with a shot from distance.

Then Potter found himself in space on the edge of the area only to send his
effort over the top of the bar.

Middlesbrough were again caught on the back foot in the seventh minute when
Biscan picked out Pongolle in a good position.

However he was caught in two minds and delivered a tame cross into the arms
of Nash.

Pongolle then saw his effort parried by Nash in the 19th minute and Warnock
quickly latched on to the rebound.

Warnock delivered the ball back into the area but Mellor headed over from
eight yards.

Middlesbrough were beginning to show and James Morrison delivered a good
ball into the path of Joseph Desire-Job but he was unable to take advantage.

However the visitors were growing in confidence and Frank Queudrue got away
from his marker only to send his header from Morrison's cross over the top.

Job then got away from Whitbread after a momentary lapse by the Liverpool
youngster, but ran out of options.

But this was a worrying spell for Liverpool with Biscan forced to take an
influential role in an inexperienced side.

He tried his luck again after 31 minutes but Nash was equal to his effort
from the edge of the area.

Zenden found the net for Middlesbrough in the 41st minute, yet his effort
was disallowed for offside after he had been released by Mark Viduka.

Middlesbrough began the second half brightly and Downing picked out Job
with a good through-ball after 48 minutes.

He turned quickly inside the area but misdirected his shot off target in a
let-off for Liverpool.

Doriva then moved forward for the visitors and cracked a shot wide in a
good spell of pressure.

Liverpool responded and Biscan released Mellor but he hurried his shot and
sent it over from 18 yards.

Pongolle was left in some discomfort after 65 minutes but resumed after
brief treatment. With Liverpool short of strikers at the moment, coach
Benitez hardly needed another one injured.

Milan Baros and Djibril Cisse were both absent from this match and the team
did look a bit short of firepower.

Pongolle eventually did come off after 69 minutes when he was replaced by
Partridge.

Middlesbrough were also struggling to make the breakthrough despite the
inclusion of Viduka and Zenden.

Zenden, however, almost put them ahead in the 70th minute when his shot
rebounded off Stephane Henchoz.

Downing then delivered the corner and Zenden got clear only to head over
from close range.

Middlesbrough kept up the pressure and Doriva cracked in a 25-yard shot
after 75 minutes which was superbly turned away by Dudek.

Job was then inches away from giving the visitors the lead three minutes
later when his effort beat the Polish goalkeeper only to come back off the
post.

Liverpool rallied and made the breakthrough in the 83rd minute when
Partridge released Mellor in the area.

He showed a cool head in front of the Kop to clip a shot over Carlo Nash
and into the net.

Mellor completed the job a minute from time when he scored from close range
after Potter had won the ball off Zenden.

Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Henchoz, Whitbread, Traore, Potter, Biscan, Diao
(Welsh 75), Warnock (Riise 82), Sinama Pongolle (Partridge 69), Mellor.
Subs Not Used: Luzi Bernardi, Raven.
Booked: Diao.
Goals: Mellor 83, 89.

Middlesbrough Nash, Davies, Cooper, Riggott, Queudrue, Morrison (Graham
81), Doriva, Zenden, Downing, Job, Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Schwarzer, Boateng, Wilson, McMahon.
Booked: none

Att: 28,176
Ref: H Webb (S Yorkshire).

BENITEZ HAILS YOUNG KOP HEROES

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez saluted his young guns as they secured a
place in the Carling Cup quarter-finals by beating Middlesbrough 2-0.

Two late goals from 22-year-old striker Neil Mellor condemned holders
Middlesbrough to defeat at Anfield.

Mellor had only scored one first team goal for the club before tonight and
that came two years ago in a League Cup semi-final against Sheffield United.

It was just the result Liverpool and their fans wanted coming as it did 24
hours after the death of former captain Emlyn Hughes.

Benitez said: "When you win like this against a good team you must be very
happy.

"It means you are working hard and the young players are working with you.

"Mellor kept trying in the first half to score and it is good when someone
plays like that until the end and gets two goals.

"It is good for his confidence, for the team and it will be good for the
reserves and the academy players.

"They will see they have a chance of playing in the first team if they
train properly."

Mellor was given his chance with both Djibril Cisse and Milan Baros ruled
out through injury.

It looked as though Benitez would lose another striker when Florent
Sinama-Pongolle limped off in the second half.

However Benitez later confirmed that he was suffering only from cramp and
also stated that Baros could be ready for the weekend.

Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren was disappointed that the team had
lost their grip on the trophy with their first defeat in 10 matches.

He said: "This competition has been very good to us and given us a great
opportunity to compete in Europe which we're enjoying at the moment. I
don't like losing matches and I wanted us to progress.

"But I had to utilise the squad and this was perhaps one game too many. I
was disappointed with our performance in the first half although we
improved later on."

McClaren was adamant that Bolo Zenden had scored in the first half before
Liverpool made the breakthrough.

Instead it was chalked off.

McClaren said: "I thought Zenden was onside and we also hit the post. It
just was one of those nights."


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