Rangers 26/07/2003 15:00
Alan Stubbs scored a dramatic stoppage time winner to silence the Ibrox boo-boys and clinch a 3-2 victory for Everton over Glasgow Rangers.
The locals constantly recalled Stubbs' time as a Celtic player and jeered him every time he touched the ball during a pulsating friendly but with the score at 2-2 and time ebbing away, the Blues defender exacted perfect revenge when he smashed home a free-kick that had been touched into his path.
The match carried more of a cup-tie atmosphere than a pre-season friendly and with no quarter asked nor given the 28,000 spectators were given a summer treat.
Ironically, Stubbs came close to scoring on no less than three occasions in the first half, but it was the Scottish champions who led at the break.
Neil McCann crossed the ball from the left in the 20th minute and the highly impressive Steven Thompson powered his header past Steve Simonsen.
Stubbs was narrowly wide with a free-kick and a close range effort and then he had a header well saved by Stefan Klos.
Steve Watson was also denied by the home keeper, and the first half turned even more sour for the travelling fans when Wayne Rooney took a hefty challenge in the 36th minute and was subsequently stretchered from the field, replaced by Kevin Campbell.
The Toffees looked more composed, though, after the break.
Thomas Gravesen carried the fight to Rangers with some intelligent midfield prompting and it was no surprise when David Unsworth levelled from the penalty spot just after the hour after Tomasz Radzinski had tumbled over a clumsy Kevin Muscat challenge.
The second half tempo was relentless and was lapped up by the fans.
Thompson almost scored again for Rangers before Everton nosed ahead through a most unlikely source.
Li Tie has rarely even looked like opening his Everton account since his arrival on the English stage twelve months ago but he finished off a fine 79th minute move with the finesse of a seasoned goal-getter.
Niclas Alexandersson played him in and the Chinese international lashed a first time shot past a stunned Klos and into the top corner of the net.
The lead was squandered within 60 seconds.
Michael Mols had not long been introduced as a substitute when he rolled in a quick equaliser from a suspiciously looking offside position.
Both sides really went for it in the closing stages and it was all perfectly poised for a dramatic finale.
Alessandro Pistone was upended on the edge of the box in stoppage time and Unsworth rolled the free-kick to Scott Gemmill who stopped it for Stubbs to thunder home.
The shot took a deflection off, of all people, Michael Ball, but there will be no denying Stubbs his moment of ultimate satisfaction.
The former Celt had silenced Ibrox to give us a finish that will be justifiably labelled as 'poetic justice'.
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