SAM Allardyce has not wasted any time defending himself in the aftermath of the Panorama 'bungs' accusations, and he was quick to hit back today at attacks on his team's style and physical approach to the game.

And Liverpool gave the Bolton boss a perfect platform to expand his theories of how smaller clubs have to compete with the giants of the game. Liverpool failed to come to terms with the sheer will and defiance you now expect from Bolton, and they wilted as the game went on with Allardyce's men completing another famous victory.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez had plenty to complain about beforehand. He clearly hates the long-ball system and Bolton's ability to stretch the laws of the game to the limits.

And he had plenty to moan about afterwards too, after the dreadful decision by referees' assistant Andy Halliday, who judged goalkeeper Jose Reina . . . from fully 40 yards away . . . to be out of his box when he drop-kicked a clearance, flagging for handball against the fuming Spaniard.

Television replays showed that decision to be wrong, but it did not excuse Liverpool's painfully inept defending at the free-kick, tapped a yard to Gary Speed for the Welshman to drive his shot through acres of open space in the box. Reina fell backwards, the 'wall' disintegrated and Liverpool were on their way to defeat. And when Ivan Campo gave Bolton an even bigger lead to defend with an early second-half header, it was all over.

Allardyce came out fighting on the 'bungs' accusations and was throwing the verbal punches just as quick this time. He said: "The players were a bit annoyed by the things that had been said about us from the Liverpool end, they were talking about it before the game and we pinned up on the wall the articles being critical of us.

"It helped the players go out and give that extra little bit. But whenever you play Liverpool you know the players will give that bit extra and run that bit longer. That is natural trying to compete against millions and millions of pounds worth of talent over and above what we can spend.

To be able to compete at this level, when you haven't got that great spending power you have to other things to nullify the opposition.

"We do that very, very well within the laws of the game.

We do not step outside of those and we maximise our talent.

It's a fantastic three points."

He added: "The halfchances Liverpool got saw my people prepared to die to stop the ball going in the net, they threw bodies at it and there were great saves from the keeper. Our opportunities were very few but we have taken them. That is crucial in the Premiership and certainly against Liverpool because we knew we were not going to create many chances.

"We might have been fortunate with the free-kick for our first one, but we have taken full advantage of it. The second goal was crucial, a peach of a goal. That put Liverpool on the back foot, and from then on our defensive qualities were outstanding.

"After winning at Portsmouth, it is a great finish to a very, very good week for everyone at this club. A terrific result for us, based on getting the basics right and getting our game plan correct. We nullified Liverpool's attacking qualities, which were abundant in their midweek win against Galatasaray.

"We restricted their opportunities to create good chances, left them with half chances and our keeper made great saves. In the second half we aimed to nick one if we could, and when we did so early on it completely knocked the stuffing out of Liverpool."

Benitez, who has seen his side lose three successive away games without scoring, was left angry at the decision he claims changed the game, saying: "It is clear that Pepe Reina was inside the area and the ball was in the air, the linesman was in a bad position but we cannot change decisions like that. Then we conceded the second and from then on it was very difficult.

"It is the first time I have seen such a free-kick given in England, but what can you do? I could see a monitor, I could see immediately that Pepe was in the box when he released the ball from his hands. I have not seen the point in complaining now to the referee, the linesman was in a bad position but it cannot be changed. That incident changed the game because we were in control and playing well."