FA Carling Premier League, Sunday 17 March, 1996; Elland Road, Leeds (Live on Sky Sports)
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Leeds United (2) 2 Everton (1) 2
Deane 6, 45; Kanchelskis 50, Stuart 28.
Leeds United (4-4-2): Lukic, Pemberton, Palmer, Radebe, Kelly, Gray, Couzens (Wallace 80), Tinkler, Ford, Deane, Brolin (Masinga 87). Subs Not Used: Beesley. Booked: Tinkler.
Everton (4-4-2): Southall, Hottiger, Short, Unsworth, Hinchcliffe, Kanchelskis, Horne, Ebbrell, Limpar, Ferguson, Stuart. Subs Not Used: Rideout, Amokachi, Kearton. Booked: Short, Horne.
Att: 29,425
Ref: G R Ashby (Worcester).
CarlingNet: Brian Deane boosted his hopes of a Wembley place next Sunday with his first double of the season for Leeds. However, it was still not enough to secure victory against an Everton side still chasing a place in the UEFA Cup.
Deane's goals have been slow in coming - only six before this match - but the timing could not have been better a week before the Coca-Cola Cup final with Aston Villa.
Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson, without Gary McAllister, Gary Speed, Tony Yeboah and David Weatherall, included five players under 21 but his reshuffled side performed admirably, only to be denied a victory by Andrei Kanchelskis.
Everton have an appalling record at Elland Road and when Graham Stuart opened their account it was the first time they had scored at Elland Road in the league for 15 years.
Andy Hinchcliffe had a glorious chance of securing their first league victory in 45 years at the ground, only to whack a penalty wide of the post.
Duncan Ferguson played the full 90 minutes for Everton after being doubtful because of a nagging groin strain.
Scotland boss Craig Brown is expected to announce his squad tomorrow to face Australia next week - and Ferguson could be in the frame.
Certainly his aerial presence was always a threat to Leeds, who owed a debt of gratitude to keeper John Lukic in a torrid first half.
Deane put Leeds ahead after only six minutes when Tomas Brolin played the ball back to him from the by-line.
Craig Short, replacing injured skipper Dave Watson, and David Unsworth both went missing and the unmarked Deane rattled the ball home, his shot taking a deflection off Unsworth.
Everton stepped up the pace and Marc Hottiger sent his effort wide of the post when Ferguson was perfectly positioned in front of goal.
Stuart brought Everton level after 28 minutes with his 14th goal of the season when he headed past Lukic following a cross from Anders Limpar.
He should have added a second a minute later after a mistake by Gary Kelly, only he shot wide when clear on goal.
Everton were awarded the penalty when Andy Couzens bundled Ferguson over after the striker had seen his goal-bound shot saved by Lukic. Then Lucas Radebe cleared the rebound off the line from John Ebbrell.
Hinchcliffe made a mess of his spot kick and Everton kept up the pressure. Lukic did marvellously well to push over a powerful header from Ebbrell and then got a hand to another effort from Short.
Deane regained the lead for Leeds on the stroke of half-time when Mark Tinkler pulled the ball back and the big striker was again unmarked as he found the target.
Everton are nothing if not resilient and Kanchelskis brought them level when his shot took a deflection off Mark Ford after Unsworth had headed on a corner from Hinchcliffe. Everton went for the winner with Ferguson heading wide following a flying cross from Stuart and then in the dying minutes Limpar blasted the ball over after Hottiger had carved out an opening.
By Peter Ball, The Times
FOR the second Sunday running, Leeds United played hosts to the television cameras and visitors from Merseyside, and were happy to draw. There, though, the resemblance ended. Unlike the dour FA Cup-tie with Liverpool of eight days ago, there were four goals and incidents aplenty against Everton yesterday in an untidy but nonetheless positive match.
With half their first-choice side missing, Leeds could be content with a draw and, by the end, just about deserved it, even though their goal had enjoyed a charmed life in the first half. In that opening 45 minutes, Everton missed a penalty and Lukic made three excellent saves from close-range headers, leaving Everton to head for the dressing rooms at the interval unaccountably trailing by the odd goal in three. "I couldn't believe what I'd seen," Joe Royle, the Everton manager, said of that first half.
Kanchelskis soon corrected that anomaly four minutes into the second period, but the goal, instead of providing the basis for Everton to go on and win, merely provided a rallying point for Leeds, who enjoyed their fair share of the remaining 40 minutes.
Perhaps Leeds should play their youngsters more often. With Palmer at the back in place of the suspended Wetherall, Speed injured and McAllister rested with this week's cup matches - the replayed FA Cup-tie with Liverpool and then Aston Villa in the Coca-Cola Cup final on Sunday - in mind, they had a very inexperienced midfield, yet they more than held their own, with Andy Gray showing rich promise down the wing once trodden with such distinction by his uncle, Eddie Gray.
"It was a very searching examination for them," Howard Wilkinson, the Leeds manager, said afterwards. "John Lukic was brilliant for them and, in the middle of the game, they were getting a real pummelling, but they hung in there and showed there's nothing wrong their character. It's been a good day for the club and a good start to the week."
Gray soon showed his ability when beating Hottiger with an ease that his uncle would have admired, and he played his part when Leeds took the lead after seven minutes. His cross was laid by Brolin into the path of Deane and the forward's shot took a deflection off Unsworth to leave Southall helpless.
It took Everton just over 20 minutes to get back on terms. Kanchelskis cut across the face of the goal from right to left, exchanged passes with Limpar, gave the Swede the ball again and a perfectly-judged cross was headed home by Stuart from six yards. From then on, Everton took over completely.
A minute later, Kelly's header back to his goalkeeper, though short of Lukic, gave Stuart an opening, but he shot into the side netting. Then Lukic just thwarted Ferguson, only for the ball to fall to Ebbrell. His shot was kicked off the line by Radabe, but the clearance ballooned upwards and then dropped to Ferguson, who was winding up for a volley when Couzens sent him crashing. The penalty was unarguable, but Hinchcliffe put it wide.
From then until half-time, Everton's next goal seemed only a matter of time, but Lukic defied them with excellent saves from Ebbrell and Short. Indeed, it was Leeds who scored. Tinkler took Kelly's throw-in on a burst that sent him past two defenders to the byline. He cut the ball back and Deane side-footed home his second goal.
With Limpar and Kanchelskis stretching the home defence, an equaliser was inevitable, but, as with so many of Everton's goals this season, it eventually came from a set-piece. A corner came out off Unsworth to Kanchelskis, whose low drive deflected off Ford and inside a post.
By William Johnson, Electronic Telegraph
HOWARD Wilkinson's team selection indicated that Leeds were unconcerned about the outcome of yesterday's Premiership fixture, their forthcoming cup ties at Anfield and Wembley being paramount in determining the success or otherwise of their erratic season.
Leeds were without half of the team who are expected to contest the Coca-Cola Cup final against Aston Villa next Sunday and the replay of their FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool on Wednesday yet Everton were still unable to register their first League win at Elland Road in 45 years.
Manager Joe Royle was disbelieving at the interval when Everton, having dominated the first 45 minutes, found themselves trailing to the second of Brian Deane's smartly taken goals.
Deane, who had opened the scoring with a deflected shot off David Unsworth, beat Neville Southall from Mark Tinkler's lay-off to the surprise of even the most partisan Leeds supporters in a subdued crowd.
It left Everton cursing the scant reward of Graham Stuart's 14th goal of the season. Andrei Kanchelskis with his eighth strike since his club record move from Manchester United, restored equality five minutes into the second half but the visitors then struggled to assert themselves.
The key moment for Everton came when they were awarded a penalty 32 minutes into a match of limited entertainment for a push by Andy Couzens on Duncan Ferguson. They had built up a head of steam just beforehand, Stuart heading powerfully home from Anders Limpar's cross and looked to have the measure of Leeds midfield quartet of promising youngsters.
Andy Hinchcliffe directed the spot kick badly wide, however. Relieved goalkeeper John Lukic responded by making excellent saves from John Ebbrell and Craig Short headers and Everton's confidence was noticeably deflated.
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Mike Bersiks: We watched the game on the telly here in S.A. and it was the first time we've seen EFC for quite a while (I think since the Forest 2-3 game).A completely different team from that one obviously and we really blew a good chance for 3 away points against a poor Leeds side. Both of their goals came down the right channel in the area Unsworth seemed to be defending.
The first was a good flick back to Deane who shot and then got a wicked deflection off Unsy leaving Nev going the wrong way. After that ,we murdered them for almost the rest of the half - Stuart scored and Kanchelskis, Limpar, Ferguson, Ebbrell and Hinchcliffe (via the penalty spot) all came close.
The penalty cost us dear as, in the last seconds of the half, Deane again scored after their new winger Gray somehow evaded 2 tackles (one of which Unsy seemed to have him totally covered) and put a ball across the face.
We came out blazing in the second half and Kanchelskis soon rifled a ball through a crowded penalty area after a corner was flicked on for the equaliser. The power on the shot was awesome as it careened in off 2 Leeds defenders. Now more pressure came in search of a winner and Lukic saved incredibly well from 2 headers by Ebbrell and Short.
Our dominance and flair was lost later in the half as the sides tired after a pretty frantic game with both sides closing down quickly in midfield. Leeds took their chances but were spared by a terrible penalty miss which would have almost certainly killed them off.
Limpar and Kanchelskis looked dangerous but faded late in the game when we stopped playing to their feet. Ferguson was unbeatable in the air and showed some nifty touches and pace. Ebbrell and Horne did a fair job in midfield with Ebbrell coming forward nicely. Stuart did the job and was rewarded with a good goal.
Our defence was shaky at times but, apart from the goal, I can only think of one other chance for Leeds when Nev failed to collect a corner and Short headed off the line. The ref was pretty fair as well in a fast paced but clean game.
Just a pity we didn't come away with all of the points. We deserved to and looked good going forward (especially when Limpar was leading the attack) but some sloppiness at the back and that missed penalty cost us dear.
SoccerNet: Brian Deane produced the goalscoring impact that can clinch him a place in the Coca-Cola Cup final next Sunday. He struck twice to make it 46 years since Everton's last league victory at Elland Road. Joe Royle's men will rarely have a better chance to end that. They were facing a depleted Leeds team who clearly had Wembley on their minds.
Skipper Gary McAllister was rested for the final and Wednesday's FA Cup sixth round replay at Liverpool. Gary Speed, Tony Dorigo and Tony Yeboah were all injured and centre back Dave Wetherall was suspended.
Speed will see a specialist today about the fractured cheek bone that has sidelined him for the past month. He hopes to be given clearance to play at Wembley.
Manager Howard Wilkinson said: 'It's a matter of trying to assess the risk. The cheek won't be properly healed for 12 weeks but Gary is desperate to get back into action again.'
The absence of the big hitters ensured that this was a Leeds side packed with home-grown talent, with five of the starting line up 21 or under. Patched-up Leeds got off to a flying start when Deane put them ahead after six minutes. Andy Gray delivered a low cross that Tomas Brolin laid off into Deane's path and the burly striker's shot took a deflection off David Unsworth to leave Neville Southall helpless.
Everton then seized control and the inevitable equaliser was provided by Graham Stuart's header after 28 minutes from Anders Limpar's cross - their first League goal at Elland Road since 1981.
Within minutes, Everton had missed a penalty. John Lukic had made a brave save at Duncan Ferguson's feet and John Ebbrell's follow-up shot had been kicked off the line by Lucas Radebe. The ball looped into the air and Andy Couzens showed his inexperience by needlessly pushing over Duncan Ferguson. Andy Hinchcliffe dragged the spot kick wide.
Lukic then produced two superb saves to deny Ebbrell and Craig Short before 18-year-old winger Gray set up Leeds' second just before the interval, putting in the low cross for Deane to score his eighth goal of the season.
Five minutes into the second half, Hinchcliffe's corner was headed back by David Unsworth and Andrei Kanchelskis scored from 20 yards. Everton almost snatched victory in the closing seconds when a Limpar volley flew just over.
Manager Joe Royle said: 'It's very frustrating for us having missed so many chances. We had the opportunities to win comfortably. But I'm delighted by the progress that we're making. You don't change from a relegation-threatened side three years' running to a championship-chasing side overnight.
'Instead of looking over our shoulders at this stage of the season we're now looking upwards to a European qualification place.' Leeds midfielder Gary Speed will see a specialist tomorrow about the fractured cheek that has sidelined him for the past month. The Wales international hopes to given clearance to play in next Sunday's final.
Wilkinson said: 'It's a matter of trying to assess the risk involved. We have to speak to the specialist about Gary's recovery. I understand the cheek won't be properly healed for 12 weeks. But people with similar injuries have played in considerably shorter time and Gary is desperate to get back into action again.'
Next Match: Everton v Wimbledon
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