March 2004

March 2004
					F	A
FA Prem	Sat 13	15:00	H	Portsmouth	1	0
FA Prem	Sat 20	15:00	A	Leicester	1	1
FA Prem	Sat 27	15:00	H	Middlesbrough	1	1

Monday 1 March begins with a welcome surprise for Irish-based Evertonians. The club announce plans for a friendly against Bray Wanderers - on the very next day!

The game is a great success, both on and off the park. The club is given a tremendous welcome - and the result is spot on too as a brace from Francis Jeffers and goals from James McFadden and Nick Chadwick give Moyes' side an emphatic victory in front of a crowd of over 3,000.

If Everton had to wait 59 days for their first Premiership win of the season, then the second comes in their very next fixture! Wayne Rooney scores a great goal to give the Blues a nervy 1-0 win over Portsmouth at Goodison Park. Moyes says: "Quality players are always liable to pop up with something special and that's what he did."

The Goodison Chief sets a target for his team to remain unbeaten in the final games of the season and by the end of the month they look on course to achieve their goal, albeit with two frustrating results.

A Rooney strike looks set to give the Blues all three points at Leicester City, but Marcus Bent heads home an injury-time equaliser. However, the result pales into insignificance with the news that one of the club's travelling supporters, Bernard Murphy, was tragically killed en route to the Walkers Stadium.

A minute's silence is held for the Evertonian before the home game with Middlesbrough - and, once again, a late goal proves to be the undoing of the Blues as the Carling Cup winners snatch a late equaliser to take a 1-1 draw back to Teesside.

That game sees David Unsworth make his 300th appearance in a Blue shirt, but the out of contract star is already being targeted by Bolton boss Sam Allardyce. Meanwhile Duncan Ferguson is charged with violent behaviour and improper conduct after his sending off at Leicester. The big Scot is later handed a four match ban.

STAT ATTACK - MARCH

• In the game against Portsmouth we secured our only 'double of the season.'
  
• David Unsworth became only the 20th Everton player to make 300 appearances for the club.