Everton v Barnsley 20/09/97 3.00

Everton                 (2) 4 Barnsley                (1) 2 FT
Speed 12,77 (pen)             Redfearn 32
Cadamarteri 42                Barnard 78
Oster 84                      

This was the game Everton had to win to stop the alarm bells ringing at Goodison.

The 4-2 victory was a long time coming but eventually Howard Kendall's side managed to stamp enough authority on the game to break brave Barnsley resistance.

Anything less would have left Everton floundering at the bottom of the Premiership.

But Kendall achieve breathing space and discovered a new kid plus a formation to suit problem boy Nicky Barmby.

The week had all be about how Kendall could control the £5.75million record signing.

Barmby had upset Kendall by refusing to shake his manager's hand after the game at Derby when the England man was incensed at being left on the bench.

That cost Barmby his place in the squad for the Coca-Cola Cup win at Scunthorpe and produced more speculation about his future.

But while Kendall was wrestling with the new system to allow Barmby to play behind the front strikers, his preferred position, he was also unearthing a 17-year-old Yorkshire kid who grabbed his full Premiership debut with both hands.

Danny Cadamarteri, boy star from Bradford, who ironically had once been recommended to Barnsley but chosen Everton instead, scored a fine goal against his fellow Yorkshiremen and ran himself into the ground before finally limping out of the fray with a calf injury.

Barnsley never gave up and worried the life out of Everton with their dogged persistence and they would claim that a disputed penalty swung the game away from them.

But by the end Everton had found some confidence and composure and had cruised to only their second league win of the season.

Kendall also produced another surprise by leaving veteran keeper Neville Southall - 39 on Tuesday - on the bench and rewarding Paul Gerrard for his fine display in that cup win at Scunthorpe in midweek.

Gerrard had to make fine diving save from Andy Liddell and Eric Tinkler in the opening minutes but Everton were ahead after 12 minutes. Gary Speed rose above the Barnsley defence to power home a header from Andy Hinchcliffe's corner.

But Barnsley were soon back at Everton's throats and pulled themselves level after 32 minutes.

It was a bizarre goal. Neil Redfearn's 25-yard shot deflecting off Craig and ballooning up and over the stranded Gerrard.

But two minutes from half time Cadamarteri made it dream home debut with stunning goal. Dave Watson's right wing cross was headed down by Duncan Ferguson and the youngster lashed a right foot shot past David Watson.

The kid produced a storming display of brave running in the second period but Everton were still finding Barnsley had no intention of rolling over.

Cadamarteri eventually gave way to John Oster after 72 minutes, struggling badly with a calf strain, but he left the pitch to a great reception and a pat on the head from his delighted manager.

And the points were finally decided four minutes later. Ferguson nodded a Dave Watson pass into the path of Barmby and he raced into the box only to be bundled down by Clint Marcelle and Adrian Moses.

Barnsley's defenders complained long and loud to referee Gerald Ashby but when the dust had settled Speed blasted a spot kick home.

That penalty sparked Barnsley into an angry response and they pulled a goal back a minute later when Darren Barnard lashed home from the left of the box after a Marcelle cross.

But any hope Barnsley had of grabbing a point disappeared with seven minutes left when Barmby's neat touch put Oster clear in the box. He showed superb control to create a shooting chance and drove the ball beyond Watson for his first Premiership goal.

Everton: (5-3-2) Gerrard, Stuart, Hinchcliffe, Short, Watson, Bilic, Williamson (Farrelly, 60), Barmby, Ferguson, Cadamarteri (Oster, 72), Speed.

Subs not used: Southall, Barrett, Ball.

Barnsley: (5-3-2) Watson, Appleby (Marcelle, 74), Sheridan, Moses, De Zeeuw, Redfearn, Liddell, Shirtliff, Tinkler (Bullock, 85), Barnard, Ward (Hristov, 58).

Subs not used: Leese, Krizan.

Booked: De Zeeuw, Tinkler, Sheridan, Shirtliff, Hristov.

Attendance: 32,659.

Referee: G R Ashby (Worcester).

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