Up against it upon the visit of one of the league’s most dangerous sides, the struggling Cocks were let down again by Neto when the keeper’s poor clearance set up Aubameyang for a shot which the Brazilian could only help into his own net. Ferguson’s men were firmly on the back foot against superior firepower but Benzema found space to head home an equaliser against the run of play. It seemed to throw off Halfman, who continued to have more of the ball but were giving up all of the better chances for a winner. Their lapses were eventually punished by both Benzema and Oscar at the death, with the Brazilian then turning it into a hammering in injury time. Halfman were not nearly as bad as this scoreline suggests but there is no room for sloppiness; perhaps Rodgers should be reconsidering his penchant for replacing his own substitutes after three minutes.

By Mona Rail