Aston Villa began life after John Gregory with a low-key performance as Everton continued their mini revival with a hard-earned point in this uninspiring FA Barclaycard Premiership encounter.

Villa failed to provide the kind of all action showing that caretaker-managers Stuart Gray and John Deehan had been looking for to quell the demonstrations by fans towards chairman Doug Ellis.

Everton will naturally take the greater satisfaction from collecting a hard-earned point to extend their unbeaten run to six league and cup matches.

A series of injuries, including a knock which ruled out Paul Gascoigne, meant strikers Kevin Campbell and Joe Max-Moore were chiefly employed in midfield.

The visitors were content to drag numbers in depth behind the ball and soak up pressure, particularly in the second period, which they did to good effect for most of the 90 minutes.

Their chief threat came from the combative Duncan Ferguson, who won more than his fair share of balls in the air although there was no-one to take advantage.

But the visitors were aided by a lacklustre display by the home side who played without purpose for much of the 90 minutes in what was Gray and Deehan's first match in charge.

Skipper Paul Merson worked hard to try and inspire his side - although for once his distribution was not at its best - while wing-backs Mark Delaney and Jlloyd Samuel did themselves justice.

Darius Vassell was also lively in the first half - but there was precious little else to enthuse about.

Before the game there had been a demonstration by around 1,000 Villa supporters outside the main stand calling for the resignation of Ellis and the board of directors.

Ellis delayed his entrance into the directors box until after the kick-off but that did not stop him being greeted with a crescendo of boos and cries of "Ellis out" as he took his seat.

There was little spark from either team in the early stages but Darius Vassell came close to putting Villa in front after 12 minutes.

The England Under-21 striker got above two Everton defenders at the far post to get on the end of an inswinging Paul Merson corner but he directed his header a foot wide.

At the other Villa keeper Peter Enckelman, standing in for the injured Peter Schmeichel, did well to fingertip away a low cross from Tony Hibbert intended for the on-rushing Danny Cadamarteri.

But chances were few and far between with Everton content to defend in numbers and Villa not showing enough inventiveness or positive intent.

The visitors' Tony Hibbert limped out of the action after 25 minutes to be replaced by Alex Cleland.

Everton's best opportunity of the first half fell to Ferguson, who peeled off at the far post to meet a deep cross from Cadamarteri - but Enckelman was able to deal relatively comfortably with his header.

Then Kevin Campbell, operating mainly in a withdrwn midfield role, sent his half-volley from the edge of the area over the bar after he had seized onto a Ferguson flick-on.

Vassell was replaced at half-time by the fit again Dion Dublin and he was quickly involved in setting up an opportunity for Merson - but his low drive was comfortably saved by Simonsen.

At the other end Delaney won an important challenge to halt Campbell on the edge of the penalty area - but there was still little for the crowd to enthuse about.

But it was Merson who provided one of the few highlights of the night near the hour mark when a surging 40-yard run ended with a thumping drive which beat Simonsen all ends up and cannoned back off the crossbar.

That was the closest either side came in the final half hour until injury-time when Everton substitute Nick Chadwick blazed over the bar from close range - but it was a game neither side deserved to win.

Teams:

Aston Villa: Enckelman, Delaney, Mellberg, Staunton, Samuel, Boateng, Merson, Hendrie (Kachloul 75), Hadji, Vassell (Dublin 45), Angel.

Subs Not Used: Myhill, Barry, Stone.

Booked: Angel.

Everton: Simonsen, Hibbert (Cleland 25), Clarke, Naysmith, Stubbs, Unsworth, Gemmill, Moore, Cadamarteri (Chadwick 71), Ferguson, Campbell.

Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Tal, McLeod.

Booked: Clarke, Naysmith, Ferguson.

Att: 32,460

Ref: C Foy (St. Helens).