Rooney strikes another memorable winner

Leeds 0 Everton 1

Rooney-mania again took hold as Everton’s 17-year-old struck another memorable winner to give David Moyes’ side their first league win at Elland Road since 1951.

If there had been any doubt as to whether Wayne Rooney was all hype following his remarkable goal-of-the-season contender to finally end Arsenal’s long unbeaten record a fortnight ago, then the Croxteth-born youngster blew them away.

Just five minutes after his second-half introduction for Tomasz Radzinski, Rooney underlined just what an outstanding talent he is, as well as being a breath of fresh air for English football as a whole.

There appeared to be little danger for Leeds when Rooney picked up an 80th-minute through ball from Li Tie around 35 yards from goal.

But first he showed a superb turn of speed as he left Eirik Bakke flat on his back before powering his way into the area, evading the challenge of Leeds skipper Lucas Radebe and then firing an angled 12-yard shot beyond the previously exceptional Paul Robinson.

In scoring directly in front of the travelling Everton fans, many could not help but mob their hero as a mini-pitch invasion took hold, one which was soon dispersed.

Rooney’s strike gave Everton a third successive Premiership victory, leaving Leeds with a miserly two points from their last six league games, and now firmly entrenched in the bottom half of the table, with the result producing a further chorus of boos at the final whistle.

Prior to Rooney’s introduction, Robinson had been in breathtaking form, further enhancing his claims to finally be granted his senior England bow and replace the now error-prone David Seaman by producing a string of fine saves, in particular to thwart Radzinski.

But there was nothing Robinson could do about Rooney’s stunning finish as the kid who only turned 17 just 11 days ago overshadowed both the Leeds keeper and referee Neale Barry.

It was almost a year ago when Barry took charge of Leeds’ home clash against Aston Villa, one he later described as “the most evil game” he had officiated.

Barry had initially dismissed Alan Smith for a elbow on Alpay, but then failed to administer similar punishment to Lee Hendrie when he pushed Danny Mills in the face as the two men became embroiled in a touchline altercation.

Then Villa boss John Gregory eventually withdrew Hendrie for his own protection, and from that point the Scunthorpe official lost control.

As that particular match heated up, Barry awarded free kicks for innocuous tackles and failed to penalise when challenges merited punishment, and it ultimately resulted in him being booed off Elland Road at the final whistle.

Barry can now claim he is no stranger to such abuse from the Leeds fans for jeers and whistles again reverberated around the ground as he headed to the tunnel at the end of the first half.

The Leeds supporters were incensed, while Venables was none too happy either, when Smith appeared to be tripped inside the area by a combination of Joseph Yobo and David Unsworth in the 27th minute, but Barry was unimpressed by the shouts for a penalty.

Further controversy followed five minutes later when Nick Barmby was sent clear by a stunning pass from Smith, and the end result should have been a lob from the England midfielder over the advancing Richard Wright.

Instead, Barmby’s first touch was abysmal and it could be argued he would not have found himself in the position which followed if he had managed to simply control.

In then attempting to take the ball round Wright he tripped over the diving body of the Everton keeper, but instead of winning a penalty, Barry booked him for diving.

The boos were loud and long, followed by chants of ’you’re not fit to referee’ from the irate Leeds faithful, who either side of those incidents had been treated to an entertaining encounter.

Leeds often looked lively, with their passing crisp and incisive, while Everton were swift on the counter, resulting in goalscoring chances at either end.

Robinson was called upon four times in the opening 45 minutes, first denying Mark Pembridge with a tip-over second-minute save from an inswinging free-kick.

Radzinski was then twice thwarted, while a crisp drive from Lee Carsley was also turned round the post.

Leeds went close through Harry Kewell and Jonathan Woodgate before Wright, looking to press England claims of his own again now he is playing regularly with Everton, was finally called upon to make his first save of the game soon after the restart.

Smith and Mark Viduka set up Barmby for a first-time shot which was well blocked by the approaching Wright, with the ball rebounding off Unsworth for a corner.

From the ensuing Lee Bowyer delivery, Bakke produced a diving header which spun a yard wide of Wright’s left-hand post, before Robinson again stepped into the spotlight to the frustration of Radzinski.

Twice within the space of a few minutes he was played in, first by skipper Kevin Campbell and then Li Tie, but twice Robinson was superbly equal to the opportunities.

Then came the arrival of Rooney. Enough said.