IN a week which began with John Arne Riise being called up for national service, it was Andy Cole who answered an SOS from Graeme Souness as Blackburn Rovers celebrated Christmas in style by spiking the guns of another Premiership heavyweight.

Liverpool's title challenge appeared to be back on track after Riise's first-half strike had put them in sight of a first league victory since the beginning of November.

But Cole then stunned the Kop into silence with a moment of pure magic to cap a brilliant second half fight-back from the boys in Blue.

For the best part of 77 minutes, the home fans in a bumper Boxing Day crowd of 43,075 had taken great delight in jeering the former Manchester United hit-man as he fluffed a couple of gilt-edged chances to snatch an equaliser.

So when Sami Hyypia's poor defensive header fell to the former England striker 30 yards out in the 77th minute, there appeared to be little danger to the home goal -- but how little did they know!

After taming the ball with his first touch, Cole then unleashed a sumptuous volley from his magic wand of a right foot which fairly rocketed beyond Chris Kirkland and exploded into the net.

It was a stunning strike by anyone's standards and the 31-year-old could hardly have chosen a better way to celebrate his impending first anniversary at Ewood.

Cole wore a grin as wide as the Mersey as he soaked up the plaudits on the final whistle, and who could blame him because a draw was the very least he and his team-mates deserved after they proved for the second time in a week that they can more than mix it with the Premiership's elite.

"As an ex-Manchester United person, Andy's delighted to come to Anfield and score," purred a delighted Graeme Souness.

"He got himself fit in pre-season but then got injured and struggled to get fully match fit and it's only in the last five weeks that he's been anywhere near where he would want to be in terms of sharpness and, for strikers, sharpness is everything.

"If you're not sharp, opportunities come and go in the last third and you don't get to them.

"He took the most difficult one but they all count and that was one of his better ones because it was pretty spectacular.

"I certainly can't remember him scoring a better goal for us and I'm delighted he got it because it's what we deserved after being the best team for the majority of the game."

In contrast to Souness's broad smile, Gerard Houllier's hang-dog expression said it all afterwards as Liverpool's miserable sequence of results continued.

For half an hour or so, they completely bossed proceedings as Rovers were guilty of giving them too much respect.

But as the afternoon wore on, the visitors gradually grew in confidence, so much so that there was only one team in it after the break.

Led by the outstanding Tugay in midfield, Rovers made Houllier's class of 2002 look distinctly second rate as they zipped the ball about on a lively playing surface like the all-conquering Liverpool side of the 80s.

And, had Cole or second half substitute Egil Ostenstad showed a touch more composure inside the box, then their champagne football would have mustered more than a point on the day.

As it was, they had to settle for a draw but to take four points from games against Manchester United and Liverpool represents an excellent return.

The home side started brightly and Riise gave an early warning when he cut in from the left in the fourth minute but his searing low drive was expertly tipped aside by Brad Friedel.

However, the big American was then rendered helpless 13 minutes later as Rovers gifted the home side a late Christmas present.

Martin Taylor had all the time in the world to make a routine clearance but his first touch was poor, which allowed Danny Murphy to find Michael Owen, and when the ball finally landed at Riise, his shot struck Lucas Neill and looped over Friedel.

That was a hammer blow but Rovers refused to cave in and had several chances to equalise before the break.

Smart link-up play between Cole and Dwight Yorke created an opening for the former England striker but Hyypia made a brave block.

Then Cole fired inches wide of Kirkland's far post.

Rovers survived an early scare in the second half when Owen fired wide from an inviting angle.

But after that, it was the visitors who took complete control as they mounted a seige on the home goal.

With Flitcroft and Tugay dominant, Liverpool found themselves firmly on the backfoot and only a smart save from Kirkland kept out another effort from Ostenstad.

The 6ft 4in stopper could do nothing about the equaliser when it finally arrived in the 77th minute, however.

Friedel launched a long kick down the centre which Hyypia attempted to clear but Cole was onto his header in a flash and he took a touch before unleashing an unstoppable volley which flew over Kirkland and into the net from fully 30 yards.

Anfield was rocked to the core.

In a frantic finale, the Reds poured forward in a desperate search for a winner.

Owen released Milan Baros but Friedel was out quickly to smother the danger.

Then, with the clock showing 90 minutes, Riise wriggled to the by-line before crossing for Owen but the England striker scuffed his shot straight into Friedel's arms from all of four yards out.

For once, justice was done.

LIVERPOOL 1 ROVERS 1

Riise 17

Cole 77

Anfield. Att: 43,075