Dire tribes drift to a desperate conclusion

Leicester City 0 Everton

You could have bet your mortgage on this match finishing goalless. Unfortunately it was also devoid of thrills and much decent football. Those who applauded at the end were probably doing so out of a sense of relief that it was all over. It should be a requirement of people who trumpet the Premiership as the world's finest league to watch a dozen video reruns of this contest in its dire entirety.

Everton's lugubrious manager, Walter Smith, pointed out, reasonably enough, "At least we aren't losing" following a second straight no-score draw for his team, while Dave Bassett was able to flourish the statistic that Leicester have reached double points after 14 matches. But, unable to resist a quip, he added, "Poor old Sky's Goals on Sunday are going to be knackered. Perhaps there might be some porn on instead."

With Everton's main strikers injured, Saturday's papers had touted the possibility of Paul Gascoigne playing up front, but the job went instead to a defender, Steve Watson. When Gascoigne did come on after an hour he failed to lift the match. The light has gone out, it seems, and the last thing a team of Everton's grim resolve need is a faded England hero drifting around in midfield. Tellingly, Gascoigne conceded a free-kick with his first touch and followed it by confronting the man he had fouled, James Scowcroft.

David Unsworth's succession of hefty clearances typified the Everton approach, but their best player, Gary Naysmith, might have won it for them in the only exciting incident of the first half. An Alan Stubbs free-kick in the 28th minute was struck low and hard into the penalty area, rebounded off Matt Elliott and fell invitingly. Naysmith struck his shot on the rise with tremendous power, but Ian Walker managed to thrust it over the bar.

Naysmith then came to his side's rescue nine minutes into the second half, when he kicked off the line after Frank Sinclair rose to head down a Dennis Wise corner. The Scottish international was also involved in the few moments of constructive Everton attacking.

Having sent their leading scorer, Dean Sturridge (three goals), off to Wolves on loan despite having managed only seven so far this season, Leicester worked commendably to improve their record. Ability did not match commitment, however. Ade Akin-biyi chased enthusiastically and got off a couple of shots to test Steve Simonsen, but the drought, it was clear, would continue.

Perhaps already alert to impending fortunes, the club played the theme tune from The Great Escape at half-time, and though Leicester staged a rousing finish they could not nick the single goal which Bassett was confident would have won the game.

Everton's fans were sufficiently aroused to hurl objects from their section at Wise as he prepared to take a corner, and the arrival of Trevor Benjamin in place of Akinbiyi lifted hopes. The substitute's header found Scowcroft clear on the edge of the goal area with five minutes left, but the shot was so weak Simonsen was able to turn it aside. In the last minute, Benjamin had the ball in the net but in getting it there he had flattened Simonsen and the only reward was a yellow card from referee Uriah Rennie.

In search of a silver lining, Bassett said he could not fault his players for commitment. "We have only conceded two goals in the last four games," he said. "The problem is we have only scored one."

Leicester City 0 Everton 0

Attendance: 21,539