Dundee Utd 1, Everton 0.   Kick-Off: 7.30pm.    Attn: 6,406     Wed. 30th July 2003.

Everton: Gerrard, Hibbert, Weir, Yobo, Naysmith, Alexandersson, Li Tie, Gemmill, Osman, Campbell, Radzinski.

Bench:Simonsen, Stubbs, Ferguson (Campbell 57m), Linderoth (Gemmill 71m), Clarke ( Weir 75m), Chadwick ( Radzinski 57m), Gravesen (Li Tie 71m), Pistone (Hibbert 75m), Watson ( Alexandersson 57m)

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To say a 5 hour journey on a coach was more enjoyable than the match is a bit much, but that's true. For that we thank the Independent Blues for keeping everyone entertained with tales of away trips over the last 20 odd years. To keep it going for the full trip was awesome! We also thank Everton for boring the socks off us for 90 minutes.

The game itself was a non entity. Moyesy swapped the players around, giving everyone of them a chance to stake a claim for a starting line up against the arse. Not many seemed interested or capable of taking that chance.

Only one player stood out & that was Joey Yobo. He was commanding in defence. Won every header, & tackle he made. One tackle from well inside Everton's half in particular was made with such ferocity on the forward, that the ball ended up in the arms of the Dundee keeper. The forward got up & had a quick look in Yobo's direction to see who it was that made the tackle. On the ball his passing was direct. One instance in the 1st half he exchanged passes with Tony Hibbert, (another who had a good game) & came away with the ball oozing confidence. He had a couple of chances to score as well. Firstly he hit a rasping shot that only just went wide with the keeper beaten & he won a header from a corner which he couldn't keep down & it went over the bar.

The 1st half had few chances. One we did have was when Gemmill pushed a penetrating pass (the only one he did in the game. The rest were square or back) through to The Rad, who went on beat the goalie, but pushed the ball too wide, allowing the defender to make a challenge, & hit his shot wide.

Gerrard made a good save in the 1st few minutes, but was seldom under pressure. Osman looked sharp when he got the ball, but he never got the ball often. I like the way he gets forward & supports the forwards. He seems to ghost in unmarked. If only our midfield could spot him. Saint Nic, well I can't remember him doing anything. Considering the noises Moyesy had been making about him, you would have thought he would be up for it, but no same old, same old. Li Tie was busy. Super & The Rad were not in it.

Half-Time: Dundee Utd 0, Everton 0.

Everton started the 2nd half with the same 11. Groan! Dundee Utd made one significant change. Colin Samual, who had a week's trial at Everton came on to score the only goal of the game. The ball got pushed down our right & a cross was met by Samual, who beat Weir to the ball to side foot it in.

Both sides made several substitutions. The changes were good for the fans. Everton looked slightly brighter, but it was better than the 1st half. It had to be. Steve Watson replaced Alexandersson, & nearly scored with a rasping shot, which was tipped over by the Dundee keeper.

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All the subs did ok without breaking into a sweat. Linderoth, Gravesen, & Chadwick put themselves about a bit, which was more than the players in the 1st half had done. Gravesen in particular had their supporters jeering him for a few strong tackles, which they didn't like. But still there was no chances. The only real chance fell to Leon Osman, when Chadwick & Ferguson made a nuisance of themselves. The ball fell to Osman. Again he as backing up the forwards. He crashed a shot against the post & it rebounded for a throw in. Everton kept pressing for a goal, but it was never going to come.

Full-Time: Dundee Utd, 1 Everton 0.

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Everton from: Gerrard, Watson, Pistone, Yobo, Stubbs, Weir, Unsworth, Alexandersson, Radzinski, Campbell, Ferguson, Pembridge, Li Tie, Osman, Chadwick, Simonsen, Naysmith, Gravesen, Gemmill, Linderoth, Carsley, Hibbert, Clarke.

Nick Chadwick & Leon Osman are added to the squad due to the injury to the injury to The Duke. We think both will be on the bench, but with Rooney & Ferguson ruled out of the opener against The Arse, it will give them a chance. We believe Moyesy will rest a few of the lads who played against Rangers, & give others full games. Then revert to his 1st eleven again on Saturday against Preston.

Moyesy says: “The situation with Wayne does give Nick a real chance and gets him a bit closer to it. But both Nick and Leon have done wonderfully well and I made a decision not to bring them up here at first because I want to give players a chance of getting games. At this time of the season match practice is crucial and getting fitness from it, so I want them to get more than 10 or 15 minutes. They have both come up because of Wayne's injury and they might get a bit of a game in midweek or they might not.”

Jogger's 11 to Start:

Everton: Gerrard, Hibbert, Stubbs, Yobo, Unsworth, Alexandersson, Gravesen, Linderoth, Naysmith, Campbell, Radzinski.

Bench: Simonsen, Li Tie, Chadwick, Watson, Carsley, Ferguson, Weir, Osman, Clarke.