2010-Apr-21 - Mighty scare for the Kop

Liverpool ..........................................2 Stoke City.......................................2 Rumbelows Cup, second round first leg, Anfield, Wednesday September 25, 1991 IT WAS described by many as 'mission impossible' when Stoke came out of the hat against mighty Liverpool, but Lou Macari's men gave them a hell of a scare before bowing out 5-4 on aggregate.

The first leg was particularly memorable for Potters' fans, with more than 9,000 of them in party atmosphere as they travelled to Merseyside on an unusually mild September night.

Macari's side didn't disappoint as they played without fear and came from behind twice, on both occasions to goals from the great Ian Rush.

Rush's first was a typical flashing header as he met a whipped in cross from full-back David Burrows in the 16th minute.

But Stoke refused to buckle and Ian Cranson netted a 28th-minute equaliser in front of the Kop, burying a header into the roof of Grobbelaar's net from a corner by Ian Scott.

Liverpool turned up the heat in the second half, but Stoke's sweeper system held firm until Rush swooped with another predatory strike 19 minutes from time.

A 2-1 deficit would have been a decent result to take back home for the second leg, but substitute Tony Kelly made it even better.

Liverpool were pressing for a third when Lee Fowler lobbed a long ball forward and Kelly, seizing on a mistake by Gary Ablett, nipped in to poke the ball through Grobbelaar's legs.

Two goals by Wayne Biggins meant Stoke pushed the Reds all the way in the return leg at the Victoria Ground, but Graeme Souness' team were never behind in the match and scored three times themselves.

Liverpool, who beat Port Vale after a replay in the next round, bowed out with a shock reverse at Peterborough in round four.

However, Souness' team had the consolation of beating Sunderland in the FA Cup final that season and they finished sixth in the First Division.

Stoke's consolation was a new era, under Macari's stewardship, was now underway. His team won the Autoglass Trophy final at Wembley that season and then promotion as Third Division champions a year later.

'Volume of noise was special' The Supporter Lee Ravensdale, a training and recruitment coordinator at Stoke College, remembers the game as a major sign of the club's resurgence.

The 39-year-old, who lives at May Bank, says: "It was Lou's first season in the hot seat after Stoke's fall from grace had been both rapid and spectacular. We had been in the doldrums, but Lou soon set about restoring some pride.

"It was a shame Mark Stein couldn't play in the Liverpool tie because he was cup-tied after signing from Oxford. Who knows what difference he might have made.

"I remember Stoke taking the field in our change kit of yellow shirts with a black sash, and the feeling among a huge travelling contingent was of excitement and anticipation.

"The volume of noise from the Stoke fans, who must have made up nearly half the crowd, was something really special. We had been starved of occasions like this and we were determined to enjoy every second.

"Liverpool started the better of the two teams, but Stoke certainly weren't overawed and refused to panic after Rush scored the first goal.