Everton blew a glittering chance to rid themselves of their relegation horrors
as a cloud of fear hung over Goodison Park.
They dominated early on, took the lead with a splendid Mickael Madar goal and
then let the Midlanders back into a game they eventually controlled for long
spells.
It should have been so much easier against a Leicester side harbouring faint
chances of a UEFA Cup place.
Everton began full of confidence and invention, but faded away to a jittery
shambles of a side - back to the months of winter anguish that dogged Howard
Kendall's side.
Everton could hardly have had a better start, scoring after one minute 58
seconds.
And it was a special goal that instilled the belief that Everton were ready to
dispel all relegation fears. How wrong everyone was.
The goal was a classic of the Everton kind, depending so much on the long ball
to Duncan Ferguson's head.
John O'Kane lifted a pass forward from the halfway line and Ferguson rose to
nod down towards Madar. The Frenchman instinctively volleyed from the corner of
the box beyond Kasey Keller, the ball not having touched the ground from the
moment O'Kane got it.
The impression of Everton superiority continued six minutes later when Don
Hutchison won possession in midfield and raced forward before feeding Madar on
the right. This time the pony-tailed striker struck a fierce drive that Keller
at full stretch pushed wide of the far post.
Leicester were hardly in the contest as Ferguson burst through to see a shot
deflected wide, and then leapt to meet a Michael Ball cross and head straight at
a grateful Keller.
Giant Scot Ferguson then almost set up another goal for Madar when he rose to
a left-wing cross, this time to nod down for Madar to send a hooked volley
inches over.
Leicester finally pulled themselves together and started to build their
attacks through midfield.
The alarm bells were ringing for Everton after a Steve Guppy corner was poorly
dealt with by keeper Thomas Myhre, and which caused chaos in the Everton box
until Craig Short cleared.
Nerves and indecision spread like a plague and Leicester caught Everton half
asleep in the 37th minute when defender Matt Elliott appeared on the right and
his pulled-back cross from the right was fired in by former Everton player Ian
Marshall.
Somehow Everton got to the break without further mishap and changed their
formation at half-time, bringing on another central defender in Slaven Bilic and
introducing John Spencer in a withdrawn striking role.
But Leicester had the Merseysiders' measure. Their midfield dominated through
the veteran Garry Parker and the Everton nerves gave way to sheer fear.
Leicester should really have taken advantage at this point, but Everton held
on and mounted a late show of defiance.
Gareth Farrelly missed from 12 yards after Madar set him up, and Ferguson
embarked on one bullish run that ended with a shot wide of the post.
Substitute John Oster could have won it with three minutes left with virtually
his first touch. Spencer played him through on the right with a glorious pass
but the little Welshman took one touch too many as he homed in on goal, and
allowed Keller to get his body in the way.
Teams:
Everton: Myhre, O'Kane, Ball, Hutchison, Short, Tiler,
McCann (Bilic 45), Madar (Oster 82), Ferguson, Farrelly,
Beagrie (Spencer 45).
Subs Not Used: Allen, Gerrard.
Booked: Beagrie, Ball.
Goals: Madar 2.
Leicester: Keller, Savage, Guppy, Kaamark, Elliott, Walsh, Izzet,
Parker, Zagorakis (Cottee 83), Marshall, Heskey.
Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Fenton, Campbell, Wilson.
Booked: Guppy.
Goals: Marshall 38.
Att: 33,642
Ref: S J Lodge (Barnsley).
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