French ace Olivier Dacourt denied his former club a vital victory in their increasingly desperate fight against the drop.

The former Everton midfielder, one of the top stars that boss Walter Smith had to sell 18 months ago as the club's financial crisis worsened, popped up to slam home a 30-yard drive with 14 minutes left.

Leeds had dominated long spells of an absorbing match, but twice found themselves behind to goals from Duncan Ferguson - before he went off with an arm injury - and Kevin Campbell.

The Yorkshiremen would have been unlucky to have lost this one, but they constantly found their forwards floundering against a determined Everton defence who had done so well before losing 1-0 at Manchester United at the weekend.

What Everton lacked in quality, they made up with bravery and fire - but they could do nothing to stop long-range efforts not only from Dacourt but defender Ian Harte.

Everton had their biggest gun, Ferguson, back as the only change from the side that did so well in defeat at Old Trafford, and there was a surprise return on the bench for long-term injured striker Francis Jeffers.

Leeds, who were without a win at Goodison Park since 1990, were unchanged from the side that won at Ipswich, knowing that a fourth successive win would push them into fifth spot in the Premiership.

They produced fluid passing and movement plus plenty of possession and dominated for long spells.

Only the quality defending of Richard Gough, plus the ability of versatile Michael Ball - who must surely have impressed watching England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson - kept Everton's head above water.

Leeds were impressive, even if their final pass was frequently poor. Lee Bowyer was prominent and almost got the break to open the score on 10 minutes.

Harte's long ball in from the left got to the far post, where Bowyer bravely threw himself only to be blocked by Paul Gerrard, the ball being scrambled away.

Bowyer, who had arrived on Merseyside from his court appearance in Hull two hours before kick-off in a helicopter, needed lengthy treatment before resuming.

Dacourt, too, back for the first time at Goodison since being sold to Lens 18 months ago, was full of tackling, prompting and running, and Everton rarely got into Leeds' last third.

Gary Naysmith was booked on 20 minutes for clattering into Bowyer's ankles from behind as Leeds continued to flow forward.

But from almost constant Leeds pressure, Everton broke out and took the lead on 23 minutes.

Leeds failed to deal with a cross from the right, and it fell for Thomas Gravesen on the left to lob back into the box. Nigel Martyn came for the cross but failed to connect properly.

The ball bounced out to the edge of the box where Ferguson prodded it calmly back into the net through a ruck of players.

A minute later Gemmill was booked for a bad foul on Robbie Keane as a stunned Leeds fought back.

Leeds must have wondered how they could be behind, and Mark Viduka had a low drive deflected inches wide of a post on 31 minutes.

Then Gerrard saved bravely when Viduka collected a bouncing ball that had eluded Naysmith and hit a close range shot straight at the keeper.

Three minutes later Ferguson, clearly in pain from what looked like an injury to the same arm that had recently been in plaster following a hand injury, was replaced by Idan Tal.

Ferguson had fallen heavily on the arm three times and was holding the limb to his chest trying to protect it from further damage. But it was obviously not worth the risk of further damage.

Ferguson's goal had been Everton's only shot before Campbell volleyed a glorious chance over the bar from 12 yards after Tal's neat pass on 39 minutes.

Leeds were clearly irritated by their predicament, and four minutes before the break, Lucas Radebe became the third booking for a tackle from behind on Campbell.

The home side were winning the crucial tackles; Gough and Weir were keeping Keane shackled and Leeds, for all their pressure, were winning few headers in the box.

It took a 30-yard low drive from Harte to get Leeds back into the game. Another ball was pumped into Everton's box and once again it was headed clear.

But this time Moore could not get out quickly enough to shut down Harte's view, and the full-back drilled a low drive through a packed area and inside the far post. Everton replaced Moore with an extra defender in Dave Unsworth before the re-start.

Gravesen was booked on 71 minutes for a foul on Bowyer, two minutes before Everton grabbed the lead again.

Tal's cross was only half cleared to Gravesen, who pushed the ball back into the box for Campbell to force his way between two defenders to have one shot blocked before firing his second effort past Martyn.

Alan Smith came on for Keane before the re-start, but within three minutes Leeds were level again, with Dacourt unleashing a 30-yarder that skimmed past Gerrard.

Teams:

Everton: Gerrard, Weir, Gough, Ball, Steve Watson, Naysmith, Gemmill, Moore (Unsworth 66), Gravesen, Ferguson (Tal 35),Campbell.

Subs Not Used: Hughes, Simonsen, Jeffers.Booked: Naysmith, Gemmill, Gravesen.

Goals: Ferguson 23, Campbell 73.

Leeds: Martyn, Matteo (Wilcox 77), Radebe, Ferdinand, Harte, Mills, Batty, Dacourt, Bowyer (Bakke 79), Keane (Smith 74),Viduka.

Subs Not Used: Robinson, Burns.

Booked: Radebe.

Goals: Harte 66, Dacourt 76.

Att: 34,224

Ref: N Barry