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Leicester: Flowers, Taggart, Guppy, Savage, Gilchrist,
Impey, Izzet (Zagorakis, 80), Lennon, Oakes (Marshall, 46), Elliott,
Cottee (Dudfield, 65).
Subs not used: Walsh, Arphexad.
Booked: Taggart, Guppy.
Everton: Gerrard, Gough (Dunne, 62), Unsworth, Weir,
Xavier, Pembridge, Collins, Barmby, Hughes (Ball, 84), Hutchison,
Moore (Cadamarteri, 43).
Subs not used: Simonsen, Milligan.
Attendance: 18,705.
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Leicester v Everton 08/04/00
3.00
Leicester (1) 1 Everton (1) 1 FT
Taggart 8 Hutchison 27
Tales of the Riverbank..
Peter Gilbert 8.4.00
The weather was so nice and warm as I strolled
along by the river on the way to the match. The blossom was coming
out, the birds were singing and the hedgerows were bursting into
life; all's well with the world you might think. However as the
stadium came into view I was jolted back into reality and once
again I felt we were about to do battle with blunted swords.
Given the weather I reckoned that if we
won the toss we should elect to bat first but we kicked towards
the kop end in the first half which made me think we didn't win
it.
We started brightly enough and created
good chances to open up their defence but with Elliott up front
alongside Cottee we lacked some cut and thrust and their's looked
a laborious partnership, one which was abandoned in the second
half.
Our spirits were raised early on when Taggert
rose majestically to meet an Izzett corner and send us into the
lead. Both teams had problems in the striker department and consequently
goal scoring opportunities were going to be rare or squandered
and so it was. The approach play was good,the defending was resolute,
the goal keeping highly competent but it was all a bit synthetic
somehow and the encounter was high on technicalities but low
on raw passion;surely no way to enjoy an afternoon in the sunshine.
Everton equalised after good approach work
by City was broken down and sweeping passes upfield ended with
a good cross which Hutchison met with his head after managing
to get between Savage and Taggert.
It was sad to note that certain sections
of the Everton fans decided to abuse Muzzy Izzett and his Turkish
parentage after the incidents in Galatasary in the week. It was
however heartening to see that Everton issued a statement afterwards
distancing themselves from this behaviour and promising that
they would write to Muzzy and apologise.
We could have gone in at half time in the
lead since Tony Cottee was denied a clear penalty. He collected
the ball on the edge of the area and broke into the box and with
only the keeper to beat he was clearly tripped. To his credit
he struggled back onto his feet and attempted a shot on the way
up which was smothered by the keeper. In hindsight it appeared
that he was penalised for trying to stay on his feet as opposed
to hitting the deck, the ref who was clearly not used to such
behaviour simply waved away the appeals. Had he gone over like
a sack of spuds he would have won a spot kick which makes a mockery
of the laws of the game. Sadly dishonesty is rewarded in this
day and age whereas a struggling but honest man is not.
In the second half Oakes was replaced by
Marshall, Elliott dropped back and Savage went into midfield.
But all the tinkering that Martin could muster did not do the
trick and in fact it was Everton who looked the more threatening
for long periods of time. Flowers was called into action to thwart
Barmby and Gilchrist smartly cut out Kadimarteri when the goal
beckoned.
For our part Dud field came on for Cottee
and appeared quite lost within the pace of the game. Taggert
headed over a clear chance and Marshall almost bundled the ball
home.
In all honesty I have to say that a draw
was a fair result although either side could have pinched the
points. It was good to see Guppy getting back some form and he
was a continual threat with his waspish runs and crosses.
At half time Birch came on in a dinner
jacket in a symbolic defiant gesture against our fans being voted
the scruffiest in the land. So we've gone from being boring,
to being scruffy..... oh well. Stan drew the raffle at half time
which now has such a small money prize that it's hardly worth
it. He sounded chirpy and was able to see the light hearted side
of life and was warmly applauded on his crutches.
Walking back along the river bank, the
man who had been sleeping on a bench cradling a bottle of cider
had woken up and was gazing in bewilderment at the water wondering
what had happened to the afternoon.....and I knew just how he
felt.
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