Reds Regain top spot

By Craig McWalter
March 31 2002

The Czech international who struck the injury-time winner against Chelsea last week which took the reds clear at the top of the premiership and added another goal and an assist as Liverpool beat Charlton 2-0 at Anfield. Read on for more.

Smicer who replaced the injured emile heskey after only 23 mins, only on the park a minute and made an imediate impact , he rose highest to connect to Danny Murphy's free-kick to rifle a powerful header into the bottom left corner of Dean Kiely's net.

Thirteen minutes later Anelka crossed from the right and Smicer appeared to try a shot from close to the penalty spot , The ball squirmed away from him to Michael Owen, who made the most of the simplest of chances to score his 24th goal of the season.

The Reds lead never looked in and real danger after that as a Charlton side short on any real fire power only had the potent threat of the lively Jason Euell.

Firepower was not something The Pool lacked even after the loss of Emile Heskey, who hobbled up the tunnel with his lower left leg heavily bandaged.

Jamie Carragher should have opened the scoring in the second minute after charging in from the right flank and playing a neat one-two with Nicolas Anelka before ballooning his shot over the bar.Graham Stuart hit Charlton's first chance over the crossbar from 35 yards but their anxiety got the better of them when Chris Bart-Williams was booked for the foul on Owen which led to Smicer's opener.

Owen had his first chance for Liverpool but skewed his chance from six yards horribly wide just as the linesman saved his blushes by waving the offside flag.

The Liverpool star's 15th Premiership goal of the season effectively shut down the game although Paul Konchesky narrowly missed with a 30-yard effort which could have turned up the pressure.

Charlton keeper Kiely prevented his side falling further behind with a brilliant double save from Owen and Carragher in the 53rd minute, and two minutes later Euell fashioned Charlton's best chance, his powerful 18-yard shot fisted over the bar by Dudek.

Kiely was in the action again in the dying seconds to parry a long range blaster from John Arne Riise on the left, but by then Liverpool were home and dry and five wins away from the coveted crown.