Liverpool controversially denied winning goal in Merseyside derby draw with Everton | OneFootball

Leighanne Robe was controversially denied what could have been a winning goal for Liverpool in the Merseyside derby as The Reds played out a 1-1 draw with Everton at Goodison Park this evening.

With the scores tied at 1-1 in the early stages of the second half, Robe fired the ball into the Everton net from close range. The goal was ruled out for an alleged foul on home keeper Courtney Brosnan, although no infringement seemed to take place.

The first half took a long time to really warm up with neither goalkeeper being tested in the opening quarter of the contest.

The game’s first shot on target produced a goal for Everton. Gabby George’s looping effort from out wide deceived Liverpool keeper Rachael Laws and the ball nestled in the far corner of the net.

Moments later, it could have been 2-0 when Megan Finnigan thumped a shot at goal but the ball was kept out of the net by a combination of Laws and Gemma Bonner.

The hosts looked shaky and disorganised after that flurry of goalmouth action and they allowed Liverpool to edge back into the match. Katie Stengel tested Brosnan for the first time in the game before Missy Bo Kearns drilled a shot wide with the goal at her mercy. Emma Koivisto then found herself in on goal but she prodded the ball the wrong side of the post.

Liverpool finally claimed their deserved equaliser when Stengel coolly drilled a shot low into the corner of the Everton net five minutes before half-time.

The second half started with controversy when Robe netted from 10 yards following a slick Liverpool corner routine but the referee disallowed the goal for an alleged push on Brosnan. Replays showed that the goal should have stood.

At the other end, Jess Park somehow headed wide from a cross when she looked certain to score before Brosnan made a superb last-ditch save to deny Liverpool forward Stengel. Park then curled the ball over Laws and into the visitors’ net but the player committed a hand ball, meaning that the goal was chalked off.

Liverpool went closest to winning the game in seven minutes of added time when substitute Miri Taylor directed a header towards goal but Brosnan produced an excellent save to keep the scores level. The Everton keeper then clawed away a Ceri Holland effort at the death as the game ended 1-1.

Liverpool will undoubtedly feel hard done by with what seemed to be a perfectly legitimate goal scored by full-back Robe while there is clearly still plenty of work to be done by Everton if they are to achieve their long-term goals.