Heroic Martyn saves best to haunt Leeds

Leeds 1 Everton 1

Nigel Martyn, so often cast as the hero during Leeds United's headiest days, returned to Elland Road last night to pile on the agony for his old club during some of their darkest.

The former England goalkeeper has lost none of the ability or agility at 37 that made him a crowd favourite as David O'Leary's side scared the life out of Europe's elite just a few short years ago.

Even in their deep disappointment at the draw that brings relegation a dismal step closer, Leeds fans could not resist awarding him the standing ovation his performance for Everton demanded.

Eddie Gray's injury-hit side desperately needed to follow Saturday's lifeline victory at Blackburn with another to keep pace in a survival battle that is now starting to look beyond them.

Instead, the Elland Road hero of countless occasions came back for the first time since his summer move to Goodison and denied them everything except James Milner's perfectly-placed equaliser.

Everton manager David Moyes said: 'There's no more fitting place for him to have a blinder. He was terrific. But he's been playing in that form all year after effectively missing a season for Leeds.'

It was that long spell of enforced inactivity on the bench that helped persuade Martyn to leave the club he had served so well for seven years, having helped them scale heights they can only dream of these days.

The irony was not lost on the 39,800 crowd who serenaded him at one point with 'Nigel, give us a goal' as their former £2million hero defied Milner and frustrated Alan Smith twice with typically brilliant saves.

Nor was it lost on the former teammates, including successor Paul Robinson who hugged Martyn at the end, as they considered a five-match run-in to save themselves that starts with Friday's trip to Arsenal.

While the point Wayne Rooney's early opener harvested for Everton will further ease Moyes' lingering worries-Leeds could be doomed before a last-day game against Chelsea.

Gray, whose survival calculations included three points from Everton, said: 'You have to think that, but we've got to look for something in our away games at Arsenal, Bolton and Chelsea. We won at Arsenal last season.

'You expected Nigel to put on a good performance in the circumstances. He's paid to make those saves. Going a goal down at home tonight, we could easily have folded but we didn't. We still have an opportunity to survive, and we'll keep going.'

All is not quite lost for Leeds, although beleaguered Gray now expects injury-jinxed midfielder Seth Johnson to be out for up to nine months with knee ligament damage.

Last night he drafted in willing veteran centre half Lucas Radebe to patrol central midfield alongside skipper Dominic Matteo, but it was the bright young men of tomorrow who dominated centre stage.

Rooney burst back on to the scene of one of his best goals last season to mark his return from a two-match suspension with a 12th-minute opener that goalkeeper Robinson appeared to see late.

The Everton teenager celebrated with a somersault in front of the visiting fans but faded after the first half-hour, Moyes citing tiredness after his two-week break as well as kicks to the back and a foot during a physical match.

For a long time it seemed that Martyn's prowess - including a superb tip over the bar from Smith's thunderous shot and a great reaction save from the striker - would inflict a grievous wound on his old pals. But that other promising young gun Milner-somehow found a gap between Martyn's outstretched hands and his right-hand post after 49 minutes for his third goal of a season in which he has had to grow up fast.

While Leeds limp on to Highbury knowing the tide has turned against them, Moyes - his own fears all but banished - said: 'I'm satisfied with a point. It's hard coming here at the moment. We didn't play well after the first 20 minutes, but we showed we can hang in there.'

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