CarlingNet - No 1 for Match Reports

Newcastle v Everton 29/01/97 7.45

Newcastle               (0) 4 Everton                 (1) 1 FT
Ferdinand 74                  Speed 3
Lee 79                        
Shearer 83 (pen)              
Elliott 90

Newcastle heightened calls for Joe Royle's head by sending Everton crashing to a sixth successive league defeat at St James' Park tonight.

Everton chairman Peter Johnson refused to back under-fire Royle after Saturday's humiliating FA Cup defeat against first division strugglers Bradford City.

Now Royle must fear the worst after the Merseysiders' latest capitulation which left their travelling fans in despair.

Gary Speed fired Everton ahead with a third minute free-kick but Les Ferdinand volleyed a 74th-minute equaliser. Rob Lee put the Magpies ahead five minutes later before Alan Shearer and Robbie Elliott completed Everton's misery with late goals.

Royle succeeded Mike Walker at Goodison Park in November 1994 and succeeded in steering Everton clear of relegation and to the FA Cup final, where they beat Manchester United.

But Everton have not built on that success despite Royle's heavy spending and the current crisis could signal the end of his reign.

Royle's response to the Bradford defeat was to drop Neville Southall and England striker Nick Barmby.

Paul Gerrard, who had played only one half since his £1.5million summer move from Oldham, took Southall's place.

The 38-year-old Welsh legend has made a record-breaking 726 appearances for Everton and he suffered the indignity of being dropped for the first time since 1982.

Barmby, a £5.75million signing from Middlesbrough, was also given the axe and Andrei Kanchelskis, reported to be poised for a move to Fiorentina, was ruled out by a swollen ankle while new signing Claus Thomsen came into the side.

Dalglish also made changes, preferring Keith Gillespie to David Ginola, dropping Warren Barton for Steve Watson, and welcoming Philippe Albert back from a hamstring strain.

Robbie Elliott switched to left back in place of the injured John Beresford and his second-minute slip left Duncan Ferguson with only Shaka Hislop to beat but the giant Scot dragged his shot wide of the far post.

Everton only had to wait another minute before taking the lead. Albert brought down Graham Stuart and Speed stepped up to bury the resulting freekick in the bottom left corner with a fierce low drive beyond Hislop's despairing dive.

The Merseysiders' confidence, badly dented by the recent dismal run, came flooding back and they threatened to put the game beyond Newcastle's reach before half-time.

Speed volleyed narrowly wide from Ferguson's nod down and when the former Leeds midfielder broke clear down the left and crossed to the near post Elliott came to Newcastle's rescue by nipping in front of Stuart to head behind for a corner.

Joe Parkinson was shown a yellow card for clattering into the back of David Batty, who followed him into the book for squaring up with Stuart, who was also cautioned as tempers became heated.

Batty produced Newcastle's first shot on target five minutes from the break but his long-range effort was comfortably saved by Gerrard.

Ferguson was back in own penalty area to head clear a minute later when Shearer nodded on Watson's freekick and Newcastle trudged off at the half-time whistle with the Toon Army baying their disapproval.

Newcastle made a determined start to the second half and Shearer made room for a 20-yarder that flashed past Gerrard's left-hand post.

Stuart squandered a great chance to increase Everton's lead eight minutes into the half. Ferguson soared above Albert to head down but Stuart, with only Hislop to beat, miskicked and Newcastle cleared.

Newcastle's mounting frustration spilled over in the 55th minute when Shearer was booked for a late challenge on Gerrard.

Dalglish brought on Asprilla for Beardsley in the 57th minute and the Colombian volleyed narrowly wide shortly after his introduction.

Stuart's shrewd pass sent Ferguson charging through the middle but Hislop stood up until the last moment and then dived to his left to make a fine save from the Scot.

Newcastle battled away in pursuit of an equaliser and Ferdinand eventually supplied it with his 17th goal of the season. Parkinson gave away a free-kick with a foul on Shearer and when Elliott crossed into the box Shearer headed down and Ferdinand volleyed home via Gerrard's right-hand post.

Everton suddenly looked vulnerable and Newcastle seized the lead in the 79th-minute when Asprilla battled his way to the byline to cross and Lee unleashed an unstoppable volley which sailed past Gerrard into the top corner.

The Merseysiders were dead and buried seven minutes from time when Asprilla surged into the box and was felled by Thomsen. Shearer stepped up to coolly place his spotkick in the top right corner for his 20th goal of the season.

Elliott provided the final twist, poking the ball home from close range two minutes into injury time after Everton's defence had got itself in a dreadful tangle.