Micky Adams decided to give Matt Heath a go in Elliott's place, and started with Piper although the kid is still a bit worn out after the season he's had.

Savage, Dickov and Oakes had all recovered from knocks and didn't look too unfit to start with.

The first 10 minutes was a pretty dreary affair and the game had a dull 0-0 draw written all over it. But then City started to get on top of the game and Everton fell apart. In style! They couldn't keep the ball for more than two passes and got no breaks. "They've turned into Leicester." said the guy next to me.

City started to do something they haven't done for ages... pass the ball around beautfully. No hoofing it up field, but one touch passing.

On 17 minutes City had the chance to go 1-0 up. A now expected cross from Pipes out on the right found Stef Oakes unmarked on the back post. Open goal. Er, no. He skyed it into the Gwladys Street end and lay on his back, head in hands.

City's confidence soared as they passed it around. Sav saw Brian Deane unmarked (yes, Moyes has alot of work to do on his defence) and passed the ball perfectly for a change. Deane curled a 20 yarder into the net as cool as a cucumber.

The small corner at the front of the away section housing the City fans went nuts, and several dozen Everton fans started to leave.

It got worse for Everton. City were on a roll now and buzzing. "It's just like watching Brazil" chanted the City fans.

Frank Sinclair looped a ball into the box which shouldn't really have caused any problems. But Stubbs and Gerrard got in each other's way and Brian Deane took advantage of their bump to nip round them and tap in an easy goal. 2-0 to the Foxes.

The Everton fans left in their droves. "Cheerio, cheerio, cheerio" waved the City fans, swiftly followed by "You're going down with the Leicester" and "2-0 to the Nationwide". The Evertonians didn't seem to see the funny side.

City didn't sit back and continued to pummel Everton. Dickov and Marshall both came close with shots that went across the goal on tight angles.

Everton only had a couple of times even in City's area and never really threatened. The Everton fans booed their team off at half time.

Cue different teams returning for the second half. What was said in the 2 changng rooms at half time?

Adams: "Ok lads, they're not very good are they, just go steady and do what you've been doing all game ok?"

Moyes: " You stupid f***ing f***ers, what the f*** do you think you're f***ing playing at you useless piece of s***s? Get your arses out there and play some f***ing football or I'll cut all your f***ing balls off, you crap t***ts. You're all on the f***ing transfer list. Now f** off."

Well whatever it was it worked for Everton. They got down to it, gritted their teeth and absolutely pummeled Leicester. Leicester spent all the second half defending and Everton played some attacking gritty football.

On 61 minutes they brought Nick Chadwick on to replace the quite awful Tomasz Radzinski who'd been doing an Akinbiyi all game. "He'll score against us" said my hubby in true pessimistic and realistic Leicester style.

3 minutes later...goal for Nick Chadwick. Gravesen crossed from the left for the striker to head home only his second goal for the club from the edge of the six-yard box. Anyone see any Leicester defenders? Where had they gone then, off to get a bovril?

Things nearly got a bit heated a few minutes after that. The goal had revived the Everton fans who found their voices, and City tried a bit of a fight back to get a third and finish the game off. Dickov went racing in chasing a ball and clipped the keeper. The Everton players weren't impressed and it was handbags as players all squared up to each other. Brian Deane got into a scuffle with Stubbs as they shoved each other around, and he was lucky only to be warned by referee Uriah Rennie, rather than get a card.

Things got even worse for Leicester when Brian Deane's hamstring went. He was just running for a ball to try and stop it going out and just pulled up limping. Signalled to come straight off.

For some bizarre reason Adams decided to put Ashton on at the back and throw Matt Heath up front. Now he may have played there for the reserves now and then, and he may be tall, but if Matt Heath is a striker then I'm Henry the frigging 8th.

It didn't work. Heath was well out of position and knackered by then. It was completely unfair on him. He'd had a good first half in defence apart from one error; he looked pretty solid and with more experience will be the new Matt Elliott. But now he was getting stick from the City fans for suddenly not being the best striker we've ever seen.

In the time that followed Ian Walker was called on again and again to make great saves as Everton went for the equaliser. Chadwick ran us ragged and it was only going to be time before they equalised. Indeed most City fans could see us losing it 3-2.

Reeves replaced the tired Piper, who hadn't had a chance to do much in the second half. Dickov went off knackered, and young Stevenson got a run out. He immediately loked sharp and chased the ball. He really deserves a full game so we can see what he can do. Maybe his chance will come next week now both Deane and Dickov have hamstring problems.

Moyes gambled and threw on Kevin Campbell with eight minutes remaining. Campbell was on his way back from injury. As expected, City couldn't manage to stem the onslaught for long enough. On 86 minutes they gave a silly free kick away. Unsworth's curling free-kick from the left fell to Ferguson, who stabbed it home from close range as yet again the City defence looked at each other.

City fans prayed for the final whistle and had to suffer 3 minutes of stoppage time to hang onto a draw. We threw away a 2-0 lead by sitting back in the second half. Something that Adams is going to have to stop pretty quickly. But the first half performance certainly gave us plenty of hope for next season.