CarlingNet - No 1 for Match Reports

Aston Villa v Everton 05/04/97 3.00

Aston Villa             (1) 3 Everton                 (1) 1 FT
Milosevic 41                  Unsworth 14
Staunton 50                   
Yorke 54

Caretaker boss Dave Watson found out just what an Everton mess he has inherited as the Goodison relegation jitters intensified.

The skipper stepped up into Joe Royle's vacated hotseat on Monday, and must have thought he was going to be off to a winning start when David Unsworth fired Everton ahead.

But it all went sticky for the Toffees as they melted under Euro-bound Villa's pressure.

Shocking work at the back gifted goals for Savo Milosevic and Dwight Yorke either side of a Steve Staunton thunderbolt free-kick.

It might well have been more as only the recalled Neville Southall and casual finishing prevented Brian Little's side from running up a cricket score.

And unless Watson can find some way to stem the downward spiral his brief period of tenure could finish with Everton's 43-year top flight tenure coming to an ignominious end.

Watson's clinched fist salute to the Everton fans as he led his side out suggested he had inserted some of the passion that has been missing in recent weeks.

And although Milosevic fired wastefully at Southall in the third minute, Everton begun as far the more positive side.

Duncan Ferguson fit despite missing Scotland's World Cup wins with a groin injury surged away after Yorke's misplaced pass to set up Graham Stuart, who was foiled by a fine Michael Oakes save.

Oakes, standing in for the injured Mark Bosnich, denied Stuart again after Staunton had been sold short by Ian Taylor but from the resulting Stuart corner Ferguson's aerial threat paved the way to goal.

`Big Dunc' nodded down and although Oakes blocked Unsworth's first effort, the former England man, on his backside, poked home the rebound.

Yet it all went downhill after that, with Villa sparked into action and Everton's rugged defending becoming increasingly desperate.

Yorke was a fraction away with a free-kick after Watson was booked for a foul on Draper and then Staunton put a chance on a plate for Milosevic, only for the Yugoslav to hit fresh air.

But four minutes before the break, when Everton unaccountably declined to deal with Draper's corner, it was Milosevic who stooped to conquer, nodding home his eighth of the season from a couple of yards.

And Watson's troops were visibly wilting as they fell apart at the back to hand Villa the game at the start of the second period.

Watson was furious when referee Jeff Winter adjudged that Craig Short had fouled Yorke 20 yards out, and almost incandescent when Staunton's searing left-footer flashed outside the wall and inside the post.

But that was no excuse for the shocking work which followed. Gareth Farrelly, making his first start of the season forced a tip over after a flowing Villa move, yet Everton simply did not learn.

When the resulting corner was played back to Farrelly, the Irish youngster saw Ugo Ehiogu lurking at the back post.

Everton, like moths to a candle, were drawn towards him, and when the defender knocked down Yorke and Milosevic had time to discuss who would apply the finishing touch, the West Indian eventually claiming number 19 of the season.

It might have been even worse, Unsworth clearing a Farrelly volley off the line and Ian Taylor heading over as the Merseysiders lapsed into self-pity.

Michael Branch replaced the woeful Marc Hottiger as Watson tried to change things but it was a forlorn task.

With Everton fans departing early, the only question was how many Villa, getting ever-closer to a UEFA Cup spot, would end up with.

Draper somehow missed from six yards and Yorke blazed wide and was then brilliantly denied by Southall at the death. But it did not matter. Three were more than enough.