KENNY DALGLISH admits the scoreline flattered his team after Liverpool FC survived an early scare to sidestep an FA Cup banana skin.

The Anfield outfit came from behind to book their place in Sunday’s fourth round draw with a 5-1 home win over npower League One side Oldham Athletic.

Liverpool were punished for a poor start when Robbie Simpson’s magnificent 28th-minute volley put the Latics ahead.

But after Craig Bellamy equalised two minutes later, Steven Gerrard’s penalty put Dalglish’s men ahead on half-time before second-half goals from Jonjo Shelvey, Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing completed the rout.

Dalglish said: “The scoreline is a bit flattering. Oldham did their club and manager proud. They created one or two threatening situations for themselves, especially in the first half.

“Getting back as quickly as we did with the equaliser was a great help to us.

“It's a wee while since some of the players who haven't played as much as the others have had a game, so it was important for us to give them a run out as well.”

He added: “It showed they needed games. There was nothing wrong with their application, but they did lose a goal.

“You can train as much as you want, but you cannot replicate what happens on a football pitch. Everybody will be better off for the game.”

Downing and Shelvey’s goals were their first for the club while Carroll’s strike was his first since October.

Dalglish made a number of changes with Fabio Aurelio making his first appearance of the season and Sebastian Coates his Anfield debut.

“There were a lot of positives to come out of it,” said the Liverpool manager. “Stewart Downing also scored, big Andy got a goal, Jonjo scored and Steven scored with a penalty, so we've had a few positives.

“But I don't think the scoreline reflects the distance between the two teams on that performance.”

Bellamy produced another man-of-the-match performance, and Dalglish added: “I don't know what he eats, but I think I need to get some of it! He was flying.

“He gets a wee bit frustrated coming off, but we've got to protect him as well.

“He'd love to play for 90 minutes and we'd love to have him for 90 minutes – but we'd rather have him for the next game, so we've just got to babysit him.”