Trick or Treat joy for Reds

Liverpool went trick and treating at the Reebok last night to banish the spectre of relegation.

The trick was Fernando Torres nutmegging Gary Cahill with a brilliant backheel to put through Maxi Rodriguez.

And the treat was the Argentinian converting it four minutes from time to lift Liverpool out of the bottom three.

The delight on Roy Hodgson's face as he jumped from his seat to celebrate Rodriguez's winner with clenched fists was evident and he was as happy as a kid with a bag full of Halloween treats.

The Reds' first league away win of the season makes his meeting this week with new owner John W Henry much less daunting.

Bolton's first home defeat of the season was tough on Wanderers and boss Owen Coyle bemoaned a couple of penalty shouts which were turned down by referee Martin Atkinson.

Coyle deserved some sympathy and on the day when the clocks went back, it was hardly vintage Liverpool as they survived one or two scary moments before recording their first back-to-back league wins since April.

But in the context of their dreadful campaign, this victory was massive and the Reds have jumped six places to 12th.

Yet Torres remains as big an enigma as ever.

He's still missing that yard of pace and killer instinct that made him such a nightmare for defenders in his first three seasons at Anfield.

The old Torres would have gobbled up two chances he was presented with by Steven Gerrard early on. But he headed over from Gerrard's corner before cutting inside and fluffing the chance when he should have shot first time.

Gerrard also spluttered and the Reds skipper seemed to be trying too hard as he attempted ambitious flicks and dummies, but only succeeded in losing possession.

His first half was summed up when Joe Cole picked out Rodriguez's intelligent run and the former Atletico Madrid star teed up the England midfielder to shoot well wide.

However disappointing Gerrard and Torres were, they weren't as bad as Paul Konckesky and it's hard to comprehend when Roy Hodgson exiled the promising Emiliano Insua for the former Fulham man.

He did little right and was booked for clattering the tricky Chung-Yong Lee after the South Korean had beaten him on the left touchline.

Although Liverpool were dominating possession with their neat passing football, Pepe Reina was the busier goalkeeper and he parried a stinging right-foot volley from Stuart Holden.

Wanderers had a couple of penalty shouts and Atkinson was right to wave away Martin Skrtel's challenge on Lee, although Matt Taylor's left-wing cross did strike Jamie Carragher's right hand in the corner of the area.

Taylor proved a threat with that left foot of his again twice from free-kicks and Reina did well to smother both curling efforts low down.

The half-time whistle meant Torres' strike at Old Trafford remains Liverpool's only away goal in the first 45 minutes of any game in 2010.

Liverpool lost Cole on the hour mark when he injured his left hamstring, teeing up Gerrard, whose shot was blocked by Paul Robinson, to leave him sweating on being fit to face his old club Chelsea on Sunday.

Sotiros Kyrgiakos' battle with Kevin Davies was not for the faint hearted and the Greek temporarily took leave of his defensive duties to head just over from Gerrard's corner.

The centre-half, who made his Reds debut in this fixture last season, then shoulder-charged Davies over in the box and Bolton were angry at having another penalty claim rejected.

With Torres and Gerrard off colour and Cole injured, Rodriguez was Liverpool's main attacking threat and he sent an acrobatic overhead kick just over Jussi Jaaskelainen's bar.

Bolton could have nicked it and Johan Elmander shot narrowly wide following a strong run, Zat Knight headed over from Taylor's corner and Davies glanced a header wide.

Then, just as it seemed, both sides would have to be content with a point, Torres produced his one moment of inspiration to beat Cahill and Rodriguez pounced to net his first goal since April.

Even then, Jaaskelainen should have saved it and Rodriguez's shot went through his hands.

Liverpool's ecstatic fans behind the Bolton keeper didn't care and their season is becoming less of a nightmare.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.