Liverpool 2, Charlton Athletic 2 (D,Post)

May 14 2007 Ian Doyle at Anfield

NOT even the big man upstairs was willing to give his namesake a break at Anfield yesterday.

The fates conspired to deny Robbie Fowler the goal his adoring supporters craved on his final appearance in front of the Kop as a Liverpool player.

With a minute remaining, Rafael Benitez invited the striker to leave the Anfield turf in emotional fashion to deafening applause from the home crowd, his team-mates and Charlton Athletic’s players.

So when sixty seconds later, with a substituted Fowler barely having taken his seat in the dug- out, Liverpool were awarded a penalty, the cheers quickly turned into a collective groan as the realisation dawned on supporters at what should have been.

Not that Fowler has any regrets, however. Given the manner of his first exit from Liverpool in November 2001, substituted before half-time of a home win over Sunderland before being ushered off to Leeds United days later, the forward was content at being allowed a more fitting finale to his second spell at the club.

While departed chairman David Moores was the man the Kop curiously found themselves appreciating with a pre-match mosaic, in truth the afternoon was about giving thanks to ‘God’.

And it wasn’t for the want of trying that Fowler failed to sign off with a goal. He found the positions, but was either thwarted by good defending, poor play from his team-mates or plain bad luck.

Of course, Fowler’s Liverpool story isn’t finished quite yet, with the striker hopeful of playing a part in the Champions League final against AC Milan next week.

Yet on a day of goodbyes, it was a returning player who did most to improve his claims of an appearance in Athens.

Before yesterday, the lesser- spotted Harry Kewell hadn’t played at Anfield in more than 13 months. But his lively 33-minute cameo was surely enough to earn the Australian at least a place on the bench in Greece.

Kewell added much-needed impetus to a massively below-par Liverpool display, his pace and trickery down the left flank all the more encouraging given the length of his absence following a succession of potentially career- threatening injuries.

The winger struck the crossbar and drew a fine save from Charlton debutant goalkeeper Darren Randolph before converting the last-minute penalty to earn Liverpool a 2-2 draw and secure third place in the Premiership for the second successive season.

Randolph, making his first start for the Addicks, wasn’t the only debutant goalkeeper on display. With an injury depriving Jerzy Dudek of his own farewell appearance – the Pole instead giving a rapturous send-off while presenting awards to Liverpool’s youth teams at half-time – and Pepe Reina also sidelined, 21- year-old Italian keeper Daniele Padelli, on a six-month loan from Sampdoria, was handed the gloves.

It was an occasion he won’t remember with much fondness, however. Although a nervy Padelli wasn’t helped by some sloppy defensive performances in front of him, few would be surprised if Benitez does not take up the option to make the player’s move permanent.

With more than three weeks between the semi-final win over Chelsea and their Athens date on Wednesday week, Benitez recalled most of the first-team regulars who were rested for the defeat at Fulham the previous weekend.

But with such a massive encounter looming, it was perhaps inevitable that Liverpool’s players should put self-preservation ahead of performance on a sodden Anfield surface.

The protests outside the ground against the paltry number of tickets awarded by UEFA and Liverpool’s subsequent handling of the allocation contributed to a surprisingly low-key atmosphere inside the stadium. Indeed, before Kewell’s last-minute penalty, the game had been a squib as damp as the weather for Benitez’s side.

By contrast, an already- relegated Charlton were determined to enjoy their Premiership goodbye and can probably feel aggrieved not to end the season with a victory.

Padelli’s first touch was to pick the ball out of the net as the Addicks threatened Fowler’s day by going ahead after just 78 seconds.

After Javier Mascherano’s wayward pass was struck straight to Darren Bent, possession was shifted to Zheng Zhi on the right. The Chinese international played a one-two with Lloyd Sam before whipping in a cross which Holland, arriving ahead of Steve Finnan, forced in from six yards.

Although incredibly lethargic in the first half, Liverpool had their chances with Alvaro Arbeloa twice guilty of spurning decent openings.

The Spaniard, playing on the right of midfield, capitalised on a slip from Madjid Bougherra in the seventh minute but, with only Randolph to beat and the crowd screaming for a pass to the unmarked Fowler, side-footed woefully wide.

Arbeloa then blasted a Bolo Zenden cross horribly over, Gerrard curled an effort narrowly off target from the Dutchman’s short free-kick and Dirk Kuyt brought the best out of Randolph with a low drive.

Both teams had claims for a penalty mid-way through the half, Arbeloa kicked by Ben Thatcher before Jamie Carragher and Bent tangled in the Liverpool box.

Charlton, though, should have been well ahead by the break, Darren Ambrose horribly scuffing his shot from Bent’s square pass and Finnan clearing an Alex Song shot off the line after Bent had beaten Padelli to a ball the goalkeeper should really have left well alone.

Fowler was close to getting his goal on the stroke of half-time but slipped at the vital moment when attempting to convert Gerrard’s pass, his shot slammed into the side- netting.

Charlton wasted another great chance moments after the restart when, after exchanging passes with Bent, Zheng followed the earlier example of Arbeloa by contriving to fire wide when clean through.

When an unmarked Zheng then missed another easy chance when heading across goal after meeting Sam’s cross from the right, Benitez had seen enough.

The Spaniard rang the changes and they soon paid dividends on 62 minutes, substitute Kewell crossing from the left for Kuyt to head down into the path of Xabi Alonso who, having been on the field less than a minute, mishit his shot into the Charlton goal.

An entertainingly open game then saw Song hit the inside of the post while a last-ditch tackle from Luke Young prevented Fowler despatching Kuyt’s flick- on.

Padelli’s misery deepened with 18 minutes remaining, the unfortunate keeper making a hash of Ben Thatcher’s piledriver leaving Bent to ram home the rebound and regain the lead for Charlton.

Kewell drew a decent save from Randolph as Liverpool mustered a late response, and Fowler acrobatically volleyed a Kuyt cross off target.

Fowler then left the field to rapturous applause with a minute remaining, only for the Anfield crowd to wish he’d still been on the pitch when

Bougherra inexplicably handled Gerrard’s right-wing corner for a clear penalty. Kewell stepped up to convert via Randolph’s hand and the post.

Fowler, though, will hope his true Liverpool farewell can arrive in nine days’ time. After all, where better for a ‘God’ to leave his mark than Athens?

LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): Padelli; Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Riise; Arbeloa (Alonso 61), Gerrard, Mascherano, Zenden (Kewell 57); Kuyt, Fowler (Crouch 89). Subs: Martin, Hyypia.

CHARLTON ATHLETIC (4-4-2): Randolph; Young, Hreidarsson, Bougherra, Thatcher; Zheng (M Bent 90), Holland, Song, Ambrose (Hughes 52); D Bent, Sam (Hasselbaink 82). Subs: Elliot, Fortune.

REFEREE: Dermot Gallagher.

ATT: 43,134.

NEXT GAME: AC Milan v Liverpool, Champions League final (Athens), Wednesday May 23, 7.45pm