Newz Forum: SOCCER: Barclays Premiership results 16/01/05

Duncan Ferguson returned to spark Everton's Champions League push and leave Middlesbrough still searching for their first Premiership win of 2005 after a 1-1 Riverside draw on Sunday.

Everton boss David Moyes introduced Ferguson, who had just completed a three-match ban, to the fray with 17 minutes of the game remaining with his side trailing 1-0 to a Boudewijn Zenden goal (26), and he made an immediate impact. The giant Scot not only set up the equaliser for Tim Cahill within two minutes of his arrival at the Riverside, but also sparked a 16-man melee and came close to a winner.

Zenden had put Boro in front midway through the first half, latching onto a superb pass from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and lifting the ball over Richard Wright in the Everton goal. Moyes' side may still be without an away win since mid-November, but they are crucially seven points clear of Merseyside rivals Liverpool in what is fast becoming a vital fourth place in the table, with Boro a further point adrift of the Anfield outfit.


In the day's other game West Brom battled with admirable grit only to be undone by Papa Bouba Diop's injury-time header at fellow strugglers Fulham. Newcomer Kevin Campbell tested Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar in the first half as well as setting up Rob Earnshaw and Ronnie Wallwork for plausible chances.

But the visitors saw Andy Johnson carried off on a stretcher after a tackle by Luis Boa Morte - and there was a bigger blow when Diop's fourth goal of the season stretched the Baggies' dismal Premiership run to 15 games without victory. One piece of bad news for the Cottagers was the loss of Steed Malbranque early in the game through injury.

Sportinglife