Reserves Rovers 1 Liverpool 1

Rovers Reserves had to settle for a share of the points after a late strike by Liverpool substitute Vitor Flora canceled out Carlos Villanueva's fine effort.

After a goalless first half that Rovers had dominated, the deadlock was finally broken on 55 minutes, Villanueva controlling the ball well before firing low past Dean Bouzanis in the Liverpool goal.

But the home side couldn't turn their domination into goals and were made to pay five minutes from time when a misplaced pass from Andy Haworth was seized upon and Flora beat Mark Bunn from close range.

The returning Vince Grella came through an hour unscathed, the Australian putting in a calm and assured display in the centre of midfield. But it was Villanueva that will have undoubtedly caught the eye of the watching Sam Allardyce with an impressive display, but Rovers ultimately had to settle for a point.

The home side started brightly, forcing the Liverpool defence back on their heels as early as the first five minutes. A free-kick from Aaron Doran arrived at the head of Gavin Gunning, but the central defender couldn't force the ball home.

A minute later and it was Keith Treacy's turn to deliver a fine ball into the box but Villanueva couldn't connect with his teasing cross.

Mark Bunn in the Rovers goal watched a Nemeth effort flash past an upright. then dived to his left to deny Weijl, but those were rare Liverpool attacks in the first half as Rovers stepped up their efforts.

Carlos Villanueva began to impose himself on the game, a fine turn saw him gain the space to spread the ball to Doran on the right, he found Simpson in side but Julio Santa Cruz could only glance his cross wide of goal.

But Rovers were dealt a blow when Keith Treacy limped off, his place taken by Nick Blackman who had returned from his loan spell with Blackpool.

Blackman was immediately brought into action courtesy of a threaded ball from Villanueva, but the former Macclesfield man blazed wide.

The weather may have worsened but it wasn't affecting Rovers' swift passing play, Santa Cruz and Villanueva combined to tee up Blackman, but his effort was saved.

Then the Chilean found Doran out on the left, he set off Olsson on the overlap, but his near post strike was well saved. Again more slick passing from Rovers, out to the right to Blackman who cuts inside and shoots but Bouzanis beats the ball away.

On the stroke of half-time the unlikely figure of Zurab Khizanishvili almost broke the deadlock. The Georgian playing a one-two with Villanueva, but Bouzanis just about stopped the defender's outstretched effort.

Rovers, and Khizanishvili, continued where they left off at the start of the second half, another storming run from the Georgian saw him outpace several flat-footed Liverpool midfielders, but he just over hit his attempted throughball to Julio Santa Cruz.

Bouzanis was certainly the busier of the two goalkeepers, the Australian diving well to his left to tip a free-kick from Villanueva over the bar.

The deadlock was finally broken on 55 minutes with a superbly taken solo goal from Villanueva. Controlling the ball midway in the Liverpool half, the diminutive attacker ran unopposed to the edge of the area before hitting a sweet effort low into the bottom corner of the net.

Frustrations were starting to show on Liverpool as they repeatedly picked up bookings, whilst Rovers continued to control the game, Gavin Gunning firing narrowly wide from a Doran free-kick.

Vince Grella and Aaron Doran were replaced just after an hour, both players could come into consideration for Saturday's Barclays Premier League encounter against Liverpool at Anfield.

The lead was almost doubled when on 74 minutes Villanueva turned well, waiting before teeing up Santa Cruz, he struck the ball first time but Bouzanis pulled off a great reaction save to push the ball behind.

But instead of Rovers going on and finding a second goal their play deserved, Liverpool somehow found a way back into the match in the closing stages grabbing an unlikely leveller.

A misplaced pass from Andy Haworth saw the ball quickly played forward to Dalla Valle, and he turned it into the path of Vitor Flora who beat Mark Bunn from close range.

The goal was a blow for Rovers, they had more than done enough to win the game.

Rovers tried to grab a winner in the final minutes, a free-kick from Danny Simpson saw the Liverpool defence in sixes and sevens, but Alex Marrow saw his close-range shot blocked for a corner kick.

The result was a disappointment for Iain Brunskill's side, but the positive displays from many of the team, particularly Carlos Villanueva will have certainly provided encouragement.

ROVERS: Bunn, Simpson (c), Olsson, Khizanishvili, Gunning, Hodge, Doran (sub Haworth 61 mins), Grella (sub Marrow 61 mins), J. Santa Cruz, Villanueva, Treacy (sub Blackman 25 mins).

Subs not used: Arestidou (GK), Flynn.

LIVERPOOL: Bouzanis, Mendy, Irwin, San Jose (c), Antwi, Palsson, Crowther, Ayala, Nemeth (sub Dalla Valle 73 mins), Pacheco, Weijl (sub Amoo 64 mins).

Subs not used: Hansen (GK), Flora, Eccleston.

Booked: Blackman, Villanueva (Rovers), Pacheco, Mendy, Irwin, Ayala, Antwi (Liverpool)

Attendance: 406