CRAIG BELLAMY'S first Premiership goal for Liverpool earned Rafael Benitez' side a fortunate draw against Blackburn Rovers at Anfield yesterday. The equaliser on 64 minutes came after a period of sustained pressure for the home side and silenced the vocal travelling support who must have thought that Benni McCarthy's opener on 17 minutes might be enough to earn all three points for Mark Hughes's men.

Benitez recalled Fabio Aurelio and Peter Crouch for Liverpool's home clash with Blackburn, with his side finally having the chance to make amends for their dreadful performance at Bolton.

The Reds boss was without Mohamed Sissoko, Dirk Kuyt and Daniel Agger, all of whom were injured playing for their countries in the last fortnight.

Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel recovered from a groin problem to keep his place, while Shabani Nonda came in for Francis Jeffers from the side that beat Wigan last time out.

Liverpool needed to assert themselves quickly for the sake of their own confidence, and two early chances were missed. On four minutes, Friedel failed to gather a John Arne Riise long throw, and a surprised Crouch failed to connect in the six-yard box.

Then Steven Gerrard saw a header sail wide. On 11 minutes Rovers survived thanks to Lucas Neill's goal line clearance from a Crouch shot, Friedel having only palmed away a Riise drive.

But Blackburn were looking for some breaks of their own, mostly through the lively David Bentley who delivered a number of excellent angled balls into the box. A couple caused uncertainty in Liverpool's defence, and when the former Arsenal youngster produced another on 17 minutes, it fell perfectly for the unmarked McCarthy to drive past Jose Reina.

On 28 minutes Bentley was booked for catching Riise in full flow down the left, but Liverpool were struggling to create anything and the movement and control had gone from their game.

Gerrard, playing in the central midfield role often denied by club and country, found space to curl in a 20-yarder which Friedel dived to touch away to his left. Friedel needed lengthy treatment afterwards for a cut lip, and a change of shirt, but was able to continue.

Xabi Alonso's 39th-minute pass almost set Bellamy away but Friedel was off his line to smother at his former teammate's feet. Lucas Neill was then booked for the last of many fouls on Jermaine Pennant who vented his frustration at the referee.

A half-time change saw Riise move to the left side of midfield and Aurelio to leftback, while within seven minutes Luis Garcia was on in place of Pennant.

Neill had Reina scurrying across his goal chasing a 30yarder that went wide, before Savage was booked for a foul on Gerrard. Still Liverpool were not testing Friedel.

Even when Crouch headed down for Luis Garcia, the little Spaniard failed to connect on the far post, while Riise drove wide after a Steve Finnan cross had eluded Crouch and Bellamy.

But on 64 minutes Bellamy did connect. Aurelio's corner sailed into the box and the little striker nodded home from six yards . . . his first league goal for the club.

After that, Liverpool went in search of the winner with Gerrard and Riise among those to come close but in the end, Mark Hughes's side deserved to take a point from the game.