Liverpool can push on for bigger and better things now after Carling Cup ... - Telegraph.co.uk

Despite dominating possession and having £78 million-worth of attacking talent on the field in the form of Andy Carroll, Luis Suarez and Stewart Downing, Liverpool gained a foothold back in the game through Martin Skrtel.

The Slovakia defender made it two in successive matches by poking home Suarez's header which rebounded back off a post.

Eighteen minutes into extra time Dirk Kuyt put his side ahead and then cleared a Cardiff shot off the line but was powerless to stop Ben Turner bundling home two minutes from the end.

The penalty shootout did not go to plan either as Steven Gerrard and Charlie Adam, seasoned spot-kick takers, both failed as did Kenny Miller and Rudy Gestede.

But when Glen Johnson converted his side's fifth penalty, Anthony Gerrard, the younger cousin of the Liverpool captain, missed to send the cup back to Merseyside.

"We always do it the hard way, but it doesn't matter how you do it as long as you get there in the end," added Gerrard, who went straight to his cousin to console him at the end.

"Credit to Cardiff - they made a real good game of it. Unfortunately there has always got to be a loser, because they maybe didn't deserve to lose.

"I've got mixed emotions. Obviously I'm delighted to win the cup for our supporters, but I feel for Anthony and Cardiff.

"It was always going to be that one of us was sad and one celebrating.

"It doesn't matter what I say to him - he's going to be down. I'll be there for him and all the family will be behind him."

Defender Daniel Agger was pleased the club were able to end their trophy drought.

"It was nice to win. It is a long time (without winning a trophy)," said the Denmark international. "This is what it is all about, it is what we work for every single day.

"It is always sweet, I don't think you can say it is extra-sweet.

"We are still in the FA Cup, we are pushing in the league as well and we have to believe and push on. Every single game is important from now until the end of the season, there is so much to win.

"We still have fourth place to fight for and there are so many big games coming up."