Matteo off as Leeds draw

Dominic Matteo makes the long walk

Everton 0-0 Leeds
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Referee Andy D'Urso was the centre of attention as he again reduced Leeds to 10 men in a frantic goalless draw with Everton at Goodison Park.

D'Urso, who sent Alan Smith off in controversial circumstances in an FA Cup tie at Cardiff, dismissed Dominic Matteo for two yellow cards in the space of nine first-half minutes.

In the end, the two sides had to settle for a scrappy hard-fought point which did little to improve their plight at the respective ends of the table.

After sending Matteo off, there were half a dozen important decisions the referee opted out of

Everton boss Walter Smith

Leeds manager David O'Leary was forced to re-shuffle his defensive pack when Rio Ferdinand woke up with a back problem.

Michael Duberry came in for only his third Premiership start of the season, and Leeds looked comfortable against a lightweight Everton attack.

But O'Leary was forced to re-shuffle again after Matteo received his marching orders.

Matteo's first foul was a needless shove on Tomasz Radzinski, and nine minutes later he left referee D'Urso with little option when he clattered into Campbell from behind.

Harry Kewell skips over Alessandro Pistone's challenge

In a dire first-half, chances were at a premium, with the best falling to Robbie Fowler.

The £13m former Liverpool striker was picked out by Harry Kewell, only for his touch to let him down in front of goal with only Steve Simonsen to beat.

Kewell needed lengthy treatment following a clash with Radzinski, and while Leeds were down to 10 men, Everton exerted a spell of sustained pressure, with Alan Stubbs' goalbound header cleared off the line by Matteo before his dismissal.

Radzinski then fired straight at Leeds keeper Nigel Martyn from 15 yards, and in first-half injury time, Simonsen denied Kewell from point-blank range.

When you have 30 points to play for, you can't give up on the title

Leeds manager David O'Leary

As the pace and temperature rose in the second-half, so did the pressure on referee D'Urso.

Having sent Smith off earlier in the season D'Urso showed him his sixth yellow card of the season for a foul on Lee Carsley.

Two minutes later, the Leeds' striker was lucky to stay on the pitch, when he chopped down Scott Gemmill.

The referee produced his yellow card on the hour to Radzinski for diving in an attempt to win a penalty

Everton finally created chances, with Blomqvist driving wide from just inside the area on 64 minutes, while fellow Swede Tobias Linderoth wasted a gilt-edged opportunity four minutes later.

After being set free by Campbell, the Swedish winger drilled his angled 15-yard drive beyond Martyn and the right-hand post.

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Everton: Simonsen, Pistone, Weir, Stubbs, Unsworth, Blomqvist (Ginola 80), Gemmill, Linderoth (Gravesen 80), Carsley, Radzinski, Campbell.

Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Alexandersson, Clarke.

Booked: Radzinski.

Leeds: Martyn, Kelly, Duberry, Matteo, Harte, Smith, Batty, Bakke, Kewell, Viduka, Fowler.

Subs Not Used: Keane, Robinson, McPhail, Wilcox, Richardson.

Sent off: Matteo (39).

Booked: Matteo, Smith.

Attendance: 33,226

Referee: A D'Urso (Billericay).