Leeds United 1 Everton 1: Ultimately this could be the point that secures Leeds United Premiership status for another season. It is just that it did not feel that way last night as Leeds' second biggest attendance poured away into the Yorkshire darkness.
Courtesy of James Milner's 50th-minute equaliser, Leeds have now lost just once in their past five games, but after the consecutive victories against Leicester here last Monday and then at Blackburn on Saturday, optimism had blossomed that a rescue could be staged.
It may be yet, but the draw leaves Leeds where they have been since October: in the bottom three.
Wayne Rooney, like Milner 18, scored his fifth goal in his last six matches to give Everton an early lead. Everton appeared capable of taking control from there, but failed to assert themselves.
Everton arrived with only one win more than Leeds in the season, but six more points. Keen to make an impression after his suspension, Rooney left marks on Gary Kelly and Michael Duberry before 60 seconds were out.
Soon Rooney would leave a more legitimate mark on the game, a contribution to a bright, sparky start from the visitors.
With Thomas Gravesen and Kevin Kilbane prominent immediately, Paul Robinson made an alert save in the seventh minute from Tomasz Radzinski.
That was the beginning of a series of corners as Everton camped in the Leeds half. The Blues were quicker in thought and deed and passed the ball around pleasingly. From another corner, on 12 minutes, Rooney scored.
Steve Watson supplied the square pass that Rooney met sweetly 20 yards out. Robinson looked to be able to see the ball the whole way but it still went past him at speed.
Just four minutes of slick Everton passing later and Robinson was beaten again. Gravesen fed Radzinski with a neat through ball and Radzinski struck it diagonally on the run but the ball came back off the far post.
Leeds would have struggled to recover from being two goals down, particularly as they were yet to string together a worthwhile move of their own. It was 25 minutes before Alan Smith put a header over from a corner delivered by Jermaine Pennant.
But then came a bizarre clearance from Nigel Martyn in the Everton goal. Martyn had seven years here, of course, and he was given a rousing ovation on his first return. Maybe confused by that, he decided to pass to James Milner while 20 yards outside his own net. Milner looked up and curled the ball goalwards only for Martyn to scramble back and flap the ball away.
Straight after half-time Martyn was busy again. Mark Viduka came alive and tested his former colleague with a shot before laying off a short pass to Milner.
Milner was on the edge of the Everton area, where he eluded Joseph Yobo to crack a low left-footer into the left-hand corner.
Elland Road erupted but then the match subsided. Leeds were unable to sustain their energy burst and Everton regained parity in midfield.
LEEDS: Robinson, Kelly, Caldwell, Duberry, Harte, Pennant, Radebe, Matteo, Milner, Smith, Viduka. Subs Not Used: Carson, Barmby, Olembe, Lennon, Simon Johnson. Booked: Caldwell, Radebe. Goals: Milner 50.
EVERTON: Martyn, Pistone, Yobo, Unsworth, Naysmith, Watson (McFadden 55), Gravesen (Carsley 80), Linderoth (Nyarko 55), Kilbane, Rooney, Radzinski. Subs Not Used: Wright, Hibbert. Booked: Nyarko. Goals: Rooney 13.
Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).
