Liverpool have too much for Crewe

Jul 14 2007 By Our reporter

GOALS from Lee Peltier, Peter Crouch and Ray Putterill gave Rafael Benitez’s men a 3-0 victory, as Liverpool’s stars returned to action at Gresty Road.
Steven Gerrard, Peter Crouch, Jamie Carragher and Jose Reina all made their first appearance of the pre-season and Benitez also handed Andriy Voronin a debut start.

There was to be no goal for Voronin on his Liverpool bow but the Ukrainian did have a hand in Peltier’s opener on 22 minutes, shortly after Gerrard had rattled the overhead with a curling left-footed effort.

When Crewe keeper Ben Williams failed to hold the ormer Bayer Leverkusen striker’s powerfully struck volley, Peltier pounced to hook home from close range.

One became two three minutes later, Crouch neatly slotting John Arne Riise’s cut back past Williams from the acutest of angles.

The shotstopper fared better, however, with a tamely struck Gerrard strike just before the half-hour mark, and Pepe Reina had to be alert at the other end as forward Lee Maynard escaped the attentions of centre backs Gabriel Paletta and Sami Hyppia.

Riise struck an upright on 30 minutes before providing Crouch with the opportunity to double his tally from a long throw, the England striker’s glancing header saved comfortably by Williams.

The Railwaymen keeper was almost caught out minutes before the interval, when Gerrard - spotting Williams off his line - attempted an effort from his own half, the keeper recovering in time to spare his blushes.

Xabi Alonso – one of 11 changes made by Rafael Benitez at the break – attempted the same feat, but his shot drifted wide.

He was joined in the centre of midfield by Momo Sissoko after the break. The Malian crafted an opening for himself in the 55th minute with a powerful run through the hosts’ defence. But with the hard work done, the Malian skewed horribly wide.

Putterill, however, displayed a great deal more composure on 66 minutes arrowing home Liverpool’s third after drifting inside from the left wing.
Fellow Youth Cup winner Craig Lindfield then made a hash of strike partner Dirk Kuyt’s teasing centre, before the Dutch marksman tested the gloveman with a drive from the edge of the box.