Liverpool continues unbeaten charge

Press, 25 January 1988, Page 21

Liverpool continues unbeaten charge

NZPA-Reuter London The Charlton manager, Lennie Lawrence, was made to rip up his betting slip as his team failed to live up to his promise to halt the Liverpool juggernaut yesterday.

Lawrence took 20-1 odds on a daunting double that his bottom of the table outfit would become the first to record a league victory over Liverpool this season, and stay in division one. But he was left a frustrated spectator at Selhurst Park as Liverpool coasted to a 2-0 win that took its unbeaten league run to 24 games and a •staggering 17 points clear at the top. The England strike-force of Peter Beardsley and John Barnes struck in each half to ensure Liverpool went marching on towards the championship. On the first “real” day of winter, four first division games were among the 36 first class matches in England and Scotland to fall victim to the snow, icy winds and torrential rain which hit the country.

Second-placed Nottingham Forest was one of 10 first division clubs in action, a situation Forest must now regret, having been held to a goalless draw at rejuvenated Watford.

Liverpool now has 62 points, followed by Forest with 45 and Everton,

whose game against Wimbledon was one of the fixture casualities, on 43 from 25 matches. Arsenal and Manchester United, fourth and fifth with 42 points, were to have played at Highbury yesterday. The only other first division game to produce any goals was at St James’ Park where Newcastle beat visiting Tottenham, 2-0. The England under-21 international, Paul Gascoigne, scored both goals. Angry Chelsea fans called for the head of the manager, John Hollins, after a dreary goalless draw against Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge. With Glasgow Celtic inactive because of the weather and Aberdeen suffering an unexpected reverse at Motherwell, Rangers made a threatening move in the Scottish premier league.

And it was the manager, Graeme . Souness’ two most recent signings who put Rangers on the road to a 3-1 home win over Falkirk.

The Danish international fullback, Jan Bartram, opened the scoring with a thunderous shot from 18 metres and although Crawford Baptie stunned the 41,000 crowd with a cheeky equaliser, the midfielder John Brown put Rangers back in front in the second half.

The Scottish international midfielder, lan Durrant, completed the scoring with a late penalty. Celtic remains top with 47 points from 30 games and is trailed by Rangers (44-31), Aberdeen (44-30) and Hearts (43-30).

Charlie Nicholas’ luck ran true in his third game for Aberdeen since his much-publicised departure from Arsenal. Nicholas scored his first goal since returning north but received scant praise as Aberdeen suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Motherwell. English league Division one.—Charlton 0, Liverpool 2; Chelsea 0, Portsmouth 0; Newcastle 2, Tottenham 0; Southampton 0, Norwich 0; Watford 0, Nottingham Forest 0. English division two.—Manchester City 0, Aston Villa 2; Middlesbrough 2, Crystal Palace 1; Reading 1, Shrewsbury 0. Division three.—Gillingham 0, Wigan 1. Division four.—Carlisle 0, Exeter 0; Leyton Orient 1, Stockport I; Swansea 1, Halifax 1. - Scottish league Morton 1, Hibernian 1; Motherwell 2, Aberdeen 1; Rangers 3, Falkirk 1. Division one.—Dumbarton .1, Kilmarnock 0; 'Meadowbank 3, Partick 1. Division two.—Albion 2, Brechin 0; Ayr 3, Stenhousemuir 0; Berwick 0, Stirling 4; East Stirling 1, Arbroath 1; Montrose 3, Stranraer 1; Queen’s Park 3, Cowdenbeath 2.