THE lack of a cutting edge cost Wanderers dear in a low key affair at a wet and miserable Anfield writes Adrian Ford

Wanderers dominated for long spells and played the slicker football throughout but they were unable to supply the killer touch against a dogged Liverpool side who, while recording their first home Premiership win for four months, hardly celebrated their Worthington Cup success in champagne style.

The opening half hour was particularly encouraging from a Bolton viewpoint as they bossed the midfield with Ivan Campo tidying up dilligently, Jay-Jay Okocha showing his range of skills and Bernard Mendy making progress along the right flank. But all their enterprise counted for nothing when, at the psychologically important moment of just before half-time, El-Hadji Diouf broke the deadlock with a header Wanderers felt was offside. They were aggrieved with the role of the referee's assistant in the goal and while our position at the opposite end made judgment difficult, it was neither the first time nor the last that Graham Barber's decisions angered the Bolton fans.

Liverpool committed more fouls but interestingly not enough to merit a single yellow card. All we ask of officials is fairness and consistency but sadly both were in short supply.

As ever, Liverpool shut up shop and relied on the odd break and their tactics paid off when Michael Owen pounced with a sharp near-post finish after Simon Charlton had been desperately unfortunate to slip.

With the amount of quality in Sam's squad it is frustrating to see them in a relegation dogfight. Henrik Pedersen's injury is a blow they could do without but there is no doubt Wanderers possess the ability to stay in the Premiership, provided they can translate good intentions into goals and performances into results.

Man of the Match: Gudni Bergsson.