David Jones then stole the show with a 20-yard volley after a cute free-kick from Karl Henry and Steven Fletcher nodded in a second before the interval.
Paul Barnes' volley, Simon Marples' free-kick and David Morley's header all forced home keeper Craig Mawson into action in the minutes after the re-start.
As Hamilton pressed for an equaliser Smith did well to block Mark McLaughlin's close-range volley from Lyle's free-kick and, as half-time approached, Shaun Hutchinson cleared the ball off the goal-line after Lyle had chipped the keeper.
But Liverpool were pressing themselves, and Fowler almost got his second after 58 minutes when he saw a volley from Alonso's clever free-kick saved by Farid Mondragon.
The home side threatened briefly with a flurry of attacks after the interval, with Francis Dickoh heading over from a corner, Murray crashing a volley straight at Allan McGregor, while a skidding free kick from Zemmama had the Rangers keeper sprawling awkwardly to save, although the ball look like it was going wide.
He tested Alan Fettis with a stinging volley and should have headed home Mumford's free-kick after 68 minutes.
But Wales were coming more and more into the game and confusion in the Poland defence from a Bellamy free-kick allowed Ledley to clip a looping half-volley towards goal.
He became the 2010 World Cup's joint leading scorer with a spectacular volley on Saturday before striking the bar from a free-kick in the dying moments of Germany's 3-2 victory.
Liverpool had laid down their intentions in the very first minute, Gordon reacting smartly to beat away Agger's volley after Dirk Kuyt had flicked on a Steven Gerrard free-kick.
As the match moved into injury time, another Morais free-kick was not dealt with by goalkeeper Paul Gallacher and Davidson's volley was blocked on the line by the hand of a St Mirren player.
Ivory Coast were courageous in defence - Didier Zokora, for example, receiving a kick in his arm after bravely heading a cross that Liedson tried to volley - and showed an organisation and discipline in their play that suggested talk of fractures in their squad are wide of the mark.
Nathan Dyer's header from Pratley's free kick broke the deadlock on seven minutes before Pratley himself added a second six minutes later with a volley.
Geovanni showed true Brazilian flair with an aerial volley that flew narrowly over the crossbar but he pulled Hull level on the hour mark when his free-kick found the net after a deflection off Vincent Kompany.
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