The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 14

SPORTS NEWS THE GUARDIAN Monday May 11 1992 Liverpool 2, Sunderland 0, 14 Goal may ensure Rush job David Lacey IVERPOOL won the FA 1 1 Cup for the fifth time on I (Saturday because, at the LvJlast, they remembered wno tney were while Sunderland realised that they themselves were no better than they ought to be. It was not so much a question of the trophy returning to Anfield on the back of Liver- pools reputation as of the second Division team inabil ity to put out of their minds the repute in which the name of Liverpool FC still stands. Effortless continuity, a refusal to dwell on past achievements and a seemingly endless supply of talent once laid the toundations ol Liverpool's greatness. For those now in charge the most satisfying aspect of this latest success was that it stemmed from the natu ral skills and self-assurance of a gangling 20-year-old, Steve McManaman, who debagged the Sunderland defence at the start of the second half. Sunderland were left holding their trousers up with one hand while struggling to save the game with the other, an exercise which always looked beyond them.

True, they were given winners' medals at the end but this was merely a faux pas on the part of the Football Association, which if it had been in' charge of investitures at Buckingham Palace would by now be functioning under the chairmanship of Dame Bert Millichip. The only other slip-ups on a thoroughly orthodox afternoon were suffered by some of the players as they tried to turn quickly on a pitch saturated by the wettest prologue to a Cup final since 1950, when Liverpool were beaten by two goals from Arsenal's Reg Lewis. There.was a touch of old Arsenal in Saturday's victory; Michael Thomas missed one, scored one and, more by luck than judgment, created another. In its way this pleasant, watchable and largely uncomplicated final offered a perfect counterpoint to 1991 and the bizarre melodramatics of Paul Gascoigne. The ultimate ease of Liverpool's victory rendered academic any controversy, pver the penalty which every? neutral except the referee, his nearest linesman, Jimmy Hill and other flat-earthers thought they should have been awarded shortly before half-time.

Thomas's beautifully struck half-volley locked the match on to an unalterable course and Ian Rush's fifth goal in FA Cup finals, beating Stan -Morten-sen's record with Blackpool, ended what was left of the contest. Unhurried Rush the Liverpool striker sidefoots the ball past the Sunderland keeper Tony Norman to make it 2-0 and score his fifth goal in FA Cup finals PHOTOGRAPH: FRANK BARON path of Rush, who dispatched it with the aplomb of someone who had scored 40 goals this season rather than a mere four. Soilness kissed the FA Cup, which was preferable to kissing the other manager, but in the broader scheme of things at Anfield Saturday's success can only be ephemeral. Liverpool are back in Europe but in a tournament they had previously regarded as small beer. It is, however, better than nothing, about which there would have been much ado.

SCORERSi Uverpooli Thomas (47min). Rush (68). Liverpool! Grobbelaar; Jones. Burrows. Nicol, Molby, Wright, Saunders, Houghton, I Rush, McManaman, Thomas.

Sunderland! Norman; Owers, Ball, Bennett, Rogan. 0 Rush (Hardyman, 68), Bracewell, Davenport, Armstrong (Hawke. 77), Byrne, Atkinson. Don (Hanworth Park). ward, Molby was forced deep and became a hazard to his own defence's navigation.

But in the second he swept the ball from one side of the field to the other while Sunderland, like the victims of Poe's pit and the pendulum, watched helplessly as they were opened up through the middle. The profound influence of Molby and his consistent liaison with Houghton was in evidence from the second minute when the pair combined to release Thomas on a late run past Sunderland's square defence. The speed with which Norman left his line contributed to Thomas shooting over the bar but it should have been a goal all the same. That was Sunderland's one life. Just before the quarter- bounce over the Sunderland bar.

In the end, however, Liverpool were content merely to keep the ball out of harm's way. McManaman and Jones apart, Liverpool's performance did not offer any fresh insight into the way the team might develop next season. Soilness, if he played pontoon, would, always buy rather than twist or stick, and for the moment he is stuck with the knowledge that the best passer in -the-cluh weighs 15 stone and will soon be challenging AnGeld's long-held belief that no one man will ever be bigger than the team. Captain Ahab being unavailable Sunderland detailed no one to harpoon the great white Dane, although in the first half, when Bracewell and his fellow midfielders were pressing for hour Ball headed a cross down to an unmarked Byrne but the man who had scored in every previous round snatched at his shot and miscued. That was Sunderland's one real chance.

A series of clinches followed but when Liverpool began switching McManaman from the left wing where he had replaced the injured Barnes, to the right it put you in mind of the time Georges Carpentier knocked-out1' Joe Beckett after changing to a southpaw stance. Liverpool were denied a penalty after Bracewell's panicky lunge had caught the weaving McManaman's trailing leg but a goal was not far away. In the second minute of the second half McManaman, apparently hemmed in by four opponents, feinted past one, T'HIS may have been the 64th and sweetest game of Liverpool's campaign, but for Ian Rush the season has ended too early, writes Russell Thomas. At least his goal may silence the Merseyslde murmurs that Liverpool are prepared to part with one of the most accomplished finishers in modern British football. Speculation has been raised by a seeming stumbling block in negotiations over a new contract, with Rush, aged 30, seeking a longer deal than that offered.

His spate of knee problems requiring three operations have epitomised Liverpool's injury-ridden season and hardly helped his cause, denying him a sustained run in the side. Rush commented: "I've always said it takes six or seven games to get back into the swing. I'm a lot sharper than in the last five or six weeks. I'm sorry that the season has ended; I was really getting into it" Michael Thomas was happy for the season to end here, having provided a memorable parting shot to add to the one that brought him a championship winner's medal in 1989 at Liverpool's expense. The 1.5 million midfielder was perplexed that some observers were surprised at the quality of his goal.

"I've been doing that for the last four years at Arsenal with David Roca8tIe," he said. Graeme Souness's own "performance" was also under scrutiny and it received a pass-mark from Ronnie Moran. "He didn't do badly but he wasnt calm all the time. He enjoyed it," said Liverpool's caretaker manager. For Malcolm Crosby, de feat was tempered by the sense of occasion after Sun derland's improbable season.

nnlv liAon in ihn iK three or four months' so 'I can't be too greedy. The lads are down, very down." 'But they're very lucky people to play football. They're well paid and they get to come here once in a blue moon." And they also clutched win ners' medals, if only briefly. after a Royal Box bungle following the FA decision to break with tradition and honour the losers first. coni's team of their second title in four seasons.

Napoli had spent their main chance when Padovano headed a Careca cross over the bar in the 19th minute. But they launched a delayed offensive early in the second half, with little Gianfranco Zola opening a turbulent 10-minute period by testing Milan's keeper Anton-ioni close to his limit Four minutes later an incredulous Van Basten bundled an appalling back-pass against Napoli's post and in the next minute missed his penalty. Five minutes after that, Napoli were denied what looked like another penalty. Seconds later, Blanc scored. Milan soothed their brittle nerves, asserting a sudden authority with long spells of possession.

Napoli's notoriously fervent supporters had dreamed of denying their northern enemies their moment of glory or at least delaying it until next weekend. There were 80,000 at San Paulo yesterday and the stands were at times electric with hatred. Some Neapolitans unfurled a banner reading "Napoli hopes for a Red-and-Black Bastia" a nasty reference to the stadium disaster in Corsica. For their part, Milan's supporters are the authors of an infamous song on the delights of earthquakes and cholera epidemics in the Vesu- viancity. And so the not police had work to do.

When the aggres sion abated, Napoli's fans set up a cnant tnat mournfully recalled their championship seasons: "Diego, to Juvenilis expected to sign for Juventus for about 5.7 million, Italian newspapers reported yesterday. Despite his 11 goals for Bari this season his stock has apparently fallen since the move was first mooted last year. Piatt joined Bari last July for British record transfer fee of 5.5 million. Cambridge United 1, Leicester City 1 Italian League: Napoli 1, AC Milan 1 Ancora Milan League play-offs, Second Division: Blackburn Rovers 4, Derby 2 Rovers' Speedie recovery level-headed reply No doctor could have ordered a Cup final better suited to minimise the strain on the newly mended heart of Graeme Sou- ness, the Liverpool manager. The Duchess of Kent briefly sat down beside him at the start, presumably to offer her assurance that he was quite right to play firobbelaar.

rather than Hooper; Grobbelaar then stuck religiously to the- script, offering only one tiny reminder that among! goalkeepers he was never a postmaster-general out safely handling everything else. Having achieved a 2-0 lead, Liverpool then allowed the match gently to unwind. They had enough chances to surpass their 3-0 deieat ot Newcastle United in the 1974 final and Houghton saw an outrageous Limpar-like lob from 40 yards although it was their inability later to control midBeld that cost Derby dear; Simpson's deft chip left Johnson in the clear and Hendry and Moran arguing with each other. At that point there were few doubts that Blackburn's season was as good as over and that Derby would go on to Wembley at a restrained canter ready to unleash one final, drumming gallop. Then everything began to go wrong.

A Simpson challenge of small intent on the histrionic Speedie saw Sellars strike a free-kick which took the most insidious of deflections. Dalglish, unlike Cox, bought largely for the moment: old heads to be sacrificed once the Premier League was reached. The policy has often seemed dubious but on this occasion experience told. If Derby had held on to 2-1 at half-time things might have been different, but Newell's shot in the 44th minute levelled the match and saw Rovers emerge after the interval with buoyant optimism, their horrid opening forgotten. enjoying a revival by providing family entertainment.

The football was as poor and malevolent as the atmosphere. Those few players who had skills to demonstrate were soon the victims of those whose approach was considerably less refined. Stoke were reduced to 10 men seven minutes before half-time when their captain Beeston was sent off for a head-to-head confrontation with Stockport's Gannon after a dispute over a free-kick. Beeston will automatically miss the second leg. He was also sent off in the last game of the season at Bolton and Stoke's appeal against his suspension for that offence may well now fall on deaf ears.

In swerved away from two more and flicked the ball forward as Armstrong made a tackle. Thomas, subdued after his miss, pounced gratefully and although Norman managed to get a touch on the ball he barely altered its course into the far corner of the net Liverpool relaxed visibly, Molby saw a 25-yard dipper tipped over the top, and Saunders stopped being a poor man's' Kevin Keegan to'send a header against the bar. Then the Molby-Houghton combination sent Saunders dashing at a retreating defence and Thomas gathered the Welshman's pass with the intention of getting the ball on to his left foot for a shot; as he did so a late challenge caused him to lose control but the ball simply ran into the Heathcote twice go close while Claridge and Dublin failed to take advantage of over-conn dent defending by Hill and Walsh. Dublin finished the game a frustrated and aggrieved man. After sending a volley against a post shortly alter the interval, Cambridge's leading scorer appeared to be elbowed under the left eye in an off-the-ball incident with Walsh two minutes from time.

It may have been Dublin's last home game for Cambridge. Afterwards Beck confirmed that the striker was available for transfer and would probably move after the play-offs whether or not his team were promoted. Cambridge want at least 1 million for Dublin, who interests Aston Villa, Everton, Crystal Palace and Wimbledon. SCORERS Cambridge! O'Shea (76min). Ufeeetan Russell (44).

Cambridge UnHedi Vaughan; Heathcote. Kimble, Oennls (Raynor, 63), Chappie, O'Shea, Cheetham, Wllfcins. Dublin, Claridge, Phllpolt (Norbury, SS). Leicester CMyi Muggleton: Mills. Whitlow, Hill, Walsh, James, Thompson, Grayson, Wright, Ormondroyd, Russell.

Martin (Alton). the team for the return leg." Fry said he would be at Blackpool and at Wembley "with my scarf and rattle" if Barnet got there. The coach Eddie Stein would take charge of the team, he said. Mark Carter gave Barnet victory with his 34th goal of the season, scoring from close range in the 27th minute. Scunthorpe are favourites to reach the play-offs final after a 2-2 draw at Crewe yesterday.

Hignett fired the home side into a sixth-minute lead from the edge of the penalty area but Helliwell prodded in a 17th-minute equaliser and headed Scunthorpe in front after 35 minutes. Crewe's top scorer Nay-Ior equalised four minutes later after Hignetf shot had rebounded off a post. reintroduced a five-man defence in their pursuit of security. After they survived a torrid first half and surprisingly took the lead in the process it seemed the plan had exceeded expectations. However, their goal stemmed from a corner kick in the 43rd minute which was awarded for something that was apparent only to the referee, John Martin, after the ball had been carefully shepherded by Philpott for what he and his colleagues clearly thought was a goal kick.

The corner was taken short to Thompson, whose cross was headed down by Dublin into the path of Russell. The Leicester forward, enjoying his first full game after 10 successive matches as substitute, gleefully accepted the opportunity with a left-foot volley into the far corner. Cambridge's deficit was almost doubled when Russell sent another left-foot shot, from a more inviting position, past a post just before the interval. Set against these rare Leicester attempts, the home side had seen Stephen Bierley WHICH set of supporters will on Wednesday night pop their corks at the Baseball Ground remains open to question. Yesterday Blackburn Rovers, 2-0 down within IS minutes, won a splendidly unpredictable match, and they must resume as marginal favourites.

Derby, who have lost eight home matches this season, will be committed to attack but on the evidence of the dreadful vulnerability of Coleman and Comyn in defence they will be terribly open to counterattack. Arthur Cox's team could not have had a better start. A clumsy challenge by Hendry on Kitson saw Simpson whip in a curling left-foot free-kick which Gabbiadini dived to head past Mimms. Speedie should have equalised and Sellars thudded a cross-shot against the base of a post before Johnson put Derby further ahead. McMinn and Williams instigated the move, O'Shea's Russell Thomas CAMBRIDGE United's captain Danny O'Shea rediscovered his scoring touch just in time yesterday to resurrect his club's improbable challenge for a Premier League place.

Just as Leicester thought they had weathered the best of a characteristic Cambridge storm, O'Shea found space in a congested penalty area 15 minutes from time to head his first goal since the season's opening day. It was no less than John Beck's team, relentless as ever, deserved before going into Wednesday's second leg at Filbert Street which threatens to be as raw-nerved and finely balanced as this noon confrontation. Beck and Leicester's manager Brian Little predicted a pulsating closing chapter to their play-off series. Leicester after suffering a 5-1 defeat here in September were, in Little's words, ''determined not to give much away" and gertips of Sinclair, the Stoke goalkeeper. Stockport had applied pressure from the start, answering their manager's question as to whether they were committed enough to win promotion to the Second Division for the first time since 1936.

They had myriad chances, particularly when Wright came on with fresh legs late in the game, and they may regret not giving themselves a better cushion. Stoke, relegated two seasons ago, did hardly anything worthy of favourable comment. Stockport Countyi Edwards; Knowles (Wheeler, 80mln), Todd, Fraln, Barras. Williams, Gannon, Ward, Francis, Beaumont, Stoke Cttyi Sinclair; Fowler, Butler. Kevan, Blake, Sandlord, Cranson, Beeston, Stein, Biggins, Grimes.

Referee) A Buksh (London). The width in Blackburn's play so stretched Derby that huge holes opened. McMinn and Williams were overrun or bypassed and Simpson and Johnson became bystanders as Speedie wreaked havoc. Sutton had made a fine save from the former Liverpool player before an elementary mistake by Comyn saw the Scot race in to put Blackburn ahead. Then, with Derby chaffing to make a double substitution to plug the gaps, Speedie increased Blackburn's lead.

All is not lost for Derby. Kit-son, Simpson and Johnson have the pace to cause mayhem in the Blackburn defence, where Mimms inspires little confidence and Hendry is capable of the most rudimentary mistakes. It is Rovers' fourth playoff in five years. Nobody can say they have not had practice. Blackburn noveru Mimms: May, Wright, Cowans, Moran (Richardson, 56mln), Hendry, Price, Atkins, Speedie (Shearer.

71), Newell, Sellars. Derby County! Sutton; Kavanaah, Forsyth, McMinn (Ramage, 71), Coleman, Comyn, Johnson, Kitson, Gabbiadini (Micklewhite, 71), Williams, Simpson. Hacked (Sheffield). that case he will miss the final of the Autoglass Trophy at Wembley next Sunday, in which these combatants meet for the third time this week. Stockport's Uruguayan manager Danny Bergara, formerly coach at Sheffield United, had instilled one or two finer points into his players and at times they swung the ball about to use space and unmarked players intelligently.

Their goal, four minutes after the sending-off, three minutes before half-time, was a good one. It came from Ward's free-kick, from about 25 yards, and was the best piece of football in the game. It curled wickedly towards the top left-hand corner of the net and was too strong for the outstretched fin Ed Vulllamy In Naptss Mi ILAN became the Ital ian champions yesterday, harvesting the nec essary point in Naples. Their tnumpn concludes a season in which their game has been near-enough invincible for a Napoli player to accuse them yesterday of "killing the The game was a theatrical tussle between Milan's extraordinary organisation and capacity to control the pace of a game and Napoli's almost boyish, sometimes chaotic but always resilient determination. Milan took the lead after 36 minutes when Frank Rijkaard, the unchallenged Man of the Match, struck a low left-foot shot home after a delightful exchange with Donadoni.

Napoli's equaliser was a header from Laurent Blanc from a cross by the substitute Mauro on the hour only six minutes after Milan's Van Basten was denied a goal from the penalty spot by a splendid save from Galli. There was a sweet irony behind the moment, which ignited the stadium: Galli had spent five years in Milan's goal and must have faced the Dutchman's penalties a thousand times in training. A missed chance by Rijkaard in the ninth minute was the Dutchman's only slip in an ex emplary performance. From the start he and Albertini tested Napoli's nerves and they were in confident command of mid-field by the interval, by which time Riikaard's goal seemed to have assured Silvio Berlus Piatt to move up AVID PLATT appears to be on his way to Juventus after Bari were condemned to relegation yesterday. They drew 0-0 at Cagliari to remain six points behind the Sardinians and will thus accompany Verona, Cremonese and Ascoli into Serie next season.

But Piatt will not be with them. The England midfielder is a Third Division: Stockport County 1 Stoke City 0 Confusion surrounds Barnet win as manager Fry claims he was sacked Hair-raising stuff fixed by Ward's curler BARRY FRY, the Barnet manager, apparently parted company with the club yesterday only 10 minutes after they had beaten Blackpool 1-0 in the first leg of their Fourth Division playoffs semi-final at Underhlll. Fry took exception to "scathing comments" by the Barnet chairman Stan Flash-man and said: "I don't feel the players deserved to be criticised. When I told the chairman I was tired of hearing him slagging them off he told me I was no longer welcome at the club. I have had six great years with Stan at Barnet but now we are at the crossroads." Flashman later denied that he had dismissed Fry.

"As far as I am concerned Barry has not been sacked. I can assure you Barry will be with Cynthia Batentan STOCKPORT go into the second leg of the play-off semi-finals on Wednesday with the advantage of a goal and the disadvantage of being away from home. While others were still at their Sunday devotions they and Stoke City were playing for redemption from the Third Division. There was nothing saintly about the way they set about it or each other. One sending-off, four bookings, dissent, blatant fouls, a fracas or two, obscenities chanted by the crowd, police dogs barking at the finish: all contrived to dispel the hope that the lower divisions were.