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Date: Monday 18th December 2000, 7pm Venue:  Knowsley Road,  home of St.Helens RLFC Admission was £3 (although season ticket holders of both clubs managed to get in for nowt), colour programme was 50p and included comments on the senior side's victory at Old Trafford the previous day!

Conditions:  Bitter. 

Crowd:  627, including around 20 away fans.  

Referee: N.A. Yates. Bottled out twice, giving us free kicks on the line for offences that clearly took place in the Liverpool penalty area. Seemed more concerned with ensuring the defensive walls were correctly-composed than actually getting his decisions correct. 

Teams: 

LFC: (normal home kit) Nielsen, Navarro, Vignal, Wright, Traore,  
Warnock, Newby, Sjolund, Armstrong (Thompson 45 mins), McAllister 
(Welsh 81 mins), Partridge.
Subs n/u: Cavanagh,  Crookes,  Otsemobor
Booked: Vignal
Captain: .Lua Lua's run appeared to have been ended when he lost the ball, but a needless challenge on him by Traore saw a yellow card produced (44 mins)

NUFC: (normal home kit) Karelse, McGuffie, Bernard (Dimas 88 mins), Beharall, Gary Caldwell, Kerr, Green, Gavilan, Glass, Ameobi, Lua Lua.
Subs n/u: Brain, Boyd, Brady, Bonvin.
Booked: None.
Captain: Caldwell. 

-2 mins. A traditional Anfield welcome - at St.Helens, as the teams took the field to the familiar strains of "You'll Never Walk Alone" by Gerry & The Pacemakers. Unfortunately this replaced the usual announcement of the two teams, which ultimately meant that uninformed people got the teams wrong, and subsequent North Eastern newspaper reports and Newcastle United press releases were incorrect.
25 mins. A short headed backpass from Bernard just outside the area dropped in front of the advancing Karelse, and Jon Newby nipped in to place his shot in the far corner of the goal. 0-1.

Half time: LFC 1 NUFC 0 

46 mins. The equaliser that United had threatened for the last third of the first half duly arrived. Good work from Green in the centre saw him force his way past two defenders before playing the ball out to the advancing Gavilan on the right. His quickly-delivered cross was well dispatched by the head of Ameobi from 12 yards into the far corner
of the goal. 1-1

Full time: LFC 1 NUFC 1

Waffle: 

A thoroughly entertaining evening at a chilly St.Helen's, and Tommy Craig's side were unfortunate not to claim maximum points against a side who deservedly beat them home and away last season.

Although the end product is still frustratingly missing from the team's performances, this was a credible display and bettered anything else seen in the reserves thus far. The introduction of new left back Olivier Bernard certainly livened up that flank for United, and his performance included some immaculately timed and executed tackles, astute passes and a mazy dribble and shot that almost brought a winning goal.

However, Bernard also planted a defensive header well short of Karelse, gifting Liverpool the opening goal and does look a little on the chunky side. The less said about his attempts to take throw ins the better (four tries, all foul throw.) Nevertheless, there's definitely something about him that deserves a second look, and some undoubted potential in contrast to the previous left back, Robert Ullathorne.

The balance of the United side also looked better, thanks partly to a more industrious attitude from Ameobi, and a slight return to form from the recently-disappointing Gavilan. One significant change was the resting of Dimas and non-appearance of Boyd, which allowed Green to return to his natural position of central midfield, from where he was able to exert an influence on the game, and link up well with Brian Kerr.  

Lua Lua was again totally frustrating, refusing to pass when well-positioned, then at other times trying to bring others into the play, only to see moves breaking down. However, that's what this level of football is for, giving people experience and allowing them to bed in. Far better that he does this in front of 600 people and plays against the cream of the Premiership's young defensive talent, rather than the old central league when bairns and pensioners were often among the opposition ranks.  

Biffa