Everton stays on target

Press, 24 February 1986, Page 28

Everton stays on target

NZPA-Reuter London Everton dashed Manchester United’s hopes of moving back to the top of the English first division by beating its Merseyside soccer rivals, Liverpool, 2-0 at Anfield on Saturday. Goals’ by the skipper, Kevin Ratcliffe, and the England striker, Gary Lineker — his thirtieth of the season — within the space of four minutes in the second half killed off Liverpool’s challenge and kept Everton on course for its second successive league title. United, whose long run at the top of the table was ended recently by Everton’s charge, had no trouble beating the bottom club, West Bromwich, 3-0.

All of its goals came from the Danish international, Jesper Olsen. Two of them were from the penalty spot. Everton remains three points clear of United with Liverpool, whose defeat was its first at Anfield in the jleague this season, two points

further back. In one of only five firstdivision matches to beat the Arctic weather, Tottenham ended a league goal famine stretching back to Boxing Day when it came from behind to beat Sheffield Wednesday, 2-1.

Tottenham looked as if it would leave Hillsborough empty-handed when Garry Thompson shot Wednesday ahead in the twentieth minute.

But the London side struck twice within six minutes midway through the second half. The Nigerian international, John Chiedozie, levelled the scores and then 18-year-old debutant, David Howells, volleyed home a cross by Paul Allen.

Luton enhanced its reputation as master of the artificial pitch with a deserved 1-1 draw on the synthetic surface at Loftus Road, home of Queen’s Park Rangers.

Luton, which had won on its three previous trips to Loftus Road, fell behind to a thirty-fifth minute John Byrne goal.

But it was rewarded for its initiative with a close range equaliser by a recent signing, Mick Newell. It was his twenty-second goal of the season.

The Scottish Premier League leader. Hearts, battled back from a goal down away to Celtic to stretch its unbeaten run to 23 matches and maintain its four-point lead over Dundee United.

John Robertson's goal a minute before halftime earned Hearts a 1-1 draw, the Scottish international Maurice Johnston having given Celtic the lead after 30 minutes.

Dundee United, which has played three games fewer than Hearts, also had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Rangers despite the boost of an early goal by Davie Dodds. Rangers equalised just after the interval through Ally McCoist The defending champion, Aberdeen, inched nearer the leading pack with a hardearned 1-0 away win over Hibernian, Paul Wright scoring in the fourteenth minute.

ENGLISH LEAGUE First division Coventry 3, Southampton 2; Liverpool 0, Everton 2; Manchester United 3, West Bromwich 0; Queen’s Park Rangers 1, Luton 1; Sheffield Wednesday 1, Tottenham 2. Second division Portsmouth 1, Oldham 2; Stoke 0, Charlton 0; Wimbledon 0, Brighton 0. Third division Bolton 4, Newport 0; Bournemouth 0, Wigan 2; Bristol City 2, York 2; Cardiff 1, Blackpool 0; Chesterfield 1, Derby 0; Gillingham 1, Bury 0; Swansea 2, Reading 3. Fourth division Crewe 2, Chester 2; Preston 0, Swindon 3. SCOTTISH LEAGUE Premier division Celtic 1, Heart of Midlothian 1; Dundee United 1, Rangers 1; Hibernian 0, Aberdeen 1; St Mirren 1, Dundee 2.

First division Airdrie 0, Partick 0; Morton 3, Brechin 2. Second division Arbroath 0, Cowdenbeath 1; Queen’s Park 4, East Stirling. 2.