EFAN EKOKU put a severe dent in Liverpool's title hopes at Anfield last night. Wimbledon's Nigerian striker had a hand in both goals as the struggling London club boosted their hopes of top flight survival. It needed a goal from Stan Collymore - his 15th of the season - to rescue a point for Liverpool.
Liverpool's supporters were looking for all three points in the hope of putting the pressure on leaders Newcastle and second placed Manchester United, but this result leaves Liverpool off the pace, although they still have to face Newcastle next month.
The game wash not without controversy with Liverpool having three strikes on goal disallowed by referee Gary Willard and the final one, when Michael Thomas hammered the ball home, was hard to fathom.
Liverpool, unbeaten in theirs previous 17 matches, fielded the same starting line up for the eighth successive match. They took the lead after 35 minutes when captain John Barnes slipped the ball through to Steve McManaman. The finish was clinical, giving him his eighth goal of the season.
Ekoku then scorned a glorious chance of equalising when goalkeeper David James dropped a cross from Mick Harford, the bail falling invitingly, but Ekoku sent it high into the crowd. Wimbledon again threatened just after half time when Mark Wright carelessly lost possession to Mick Harford, who forced James to tough the ball onto the bar and over.
The pressure told, however, and Wimbledon equalised after 54 minutes when Oyvind Leonhardsen swung in a cross and Ekoku ghosted into space to knock the bail home. Liverpool were rattled and six minutes later Dean Holdsworth put them ahead after Ekoku pounced on an error from Mark Wright to create the opening.
That goal came just minutes after Collymore found the Wimbledon net after being released by Fowler, only for the strike to be ruled out. Holdsworth's goal shocked the home fans and they were angry shouts of disbelief when Thomas ran the ball home after being released by Fowler only for that effort to again be disallowed.
Liverpool eventually equalised and salvaged a point after 6 minutes when McManaman's cross was dropped by keeper Neil Sullivan, Collymore pouncing to knock it home. Liverpool maintained the pressure and the dominance until the final whistle, but are now five points behind Newcastle and four adrift of Manchester United.
Roy Evans, the Liverpool manager, was not discounting his side's title chances just yet. "We are not out of it. We got a bit kamikaze and started to throw too many balls forward. You've got to give credit to Wimbledon.
However, he was clearly upset at the Thomas goal being disallowed by referee Gary Willard. "I tried to speak to the referee about it, but he told me to come back later. The referee made a decision, or rather the linesman did and we have to abide by it, whether we like it or not. I didn't agree with it," Evans added.
