Liberty Professionals Sunday secured a vital away win at Kpando against Heart of Lions and pushed them a step further away from the fight against relegation.

But that victory was not without the usual tension and wastefulness that has been the bane of the squad this term. Liberty should have been up 3-0 by the end of the first half.

As expected Liberty started the game more aggressively knowing a slip would further drag them into relegation turmoil and should have been up by 2 or 3 goals before the end of the first half.

By the 20th minute Liberty were committing suicide; Latif Salifu was quick and good on the ball but he found his final touch lacking precision and punch and cursed himself for the four glorious opportunities he wasted.

The first opportunity was well positioned after being put through by Richard Boateng but he surprisingly shot into the arms of Lions goalkeeper Joseph Addo and two minutes later in a much better position than before fluffed another opportunity.

But it was the opening in the 16th minutes that was heart rending for traveling pack. Latif managed to dribbled goalkeeper Addo and with a yawning net beckoning found the ball in the side net.

Gladson Awako, Heart of Lions’ best performer on the day nearly gave the home side the lead but was just a touch away from getting the ball in with Liberty goalkeeper Tunde Adekunle already beaten.

Latif was surely having the best of the opportunities but luck had eluded him and again on 21 minutes let Lions off the hook with some poor decision with the goalie at his mercy, maybe the pressure of easing the tension is beginning to tell on him.

Lions again threatened on 38 minutes. Addo and Mumuni allowed Ibrahim Tanko into space but it was the outstretched hand of Tunde that saved Liberty.

2 minutes later, Lions won a penalty after David Addo had fouled Tanko. The silence that struck both the bench and the club official that had made the trip gave way to joy and relief after Francis Mantey who elected himself for the kick could only strike against the side post.

The pattern of the game was beginning to change on to the final 20 minutes after it began to drizzle and the team showed tiredness. Before then it had been a long midfield spell with not much to shout and talk about.

In the final 10 minutes it was Lions who almost stole the game with Abraham Annan’s blast of a shot been well saved by Tunde.

Then there was a moment of real drama.

Ghandi Kassenu who had a quiet afternoon broke free on the left and was brought down and the resultant freekick was nodded home by Latif Salifu who run towards the bench to celebrate only for Referee Gyasi to disallow the goal for what he claimed was offside positioning.

The game was finally edging to a draw when on moment of indecision by goalie Joe Addo and Sheriff Danladi allowed substitute Daniel Bonsu to capitalize and tap the ball in for the only goal of the match.

The boys could hardly do the usual dance, the victory is just one of the many needed to walk away from the foot of the league table.

Liberty: Tunde ADEKUNLE; Eric BOAKYE, Richard KISSI, David ADDO, Bawa MUMUNI; Richard BOATENG(Rennell ADJEI), Nouhom MOUTAKHIL (Sam Ayew YEBOAH), Emmanuel FRIMPONG, Ghandi KASSENU, SALIFU, Kevin KOAUKOU (Daniel BONSU).