As a regular feature during this football-free period, we will be taking a look back at Everton games that have been played ON THIS DAY through the years…
Today… Madar on the mark, Blues edge closer to the title and Pickering makes it five from four…
French international striker Mickaël Madar scored for the second week running ON THIS DAY in 1998 - but it couldn’t help Everton avoid a crushing loss at home to Aston Villa.
The man signed from Deportivo la Coruna had scored the winner at home to Blackburn Rovers the previous week but his fourth goal for Everton was little more than a consolation against Villa.
Julian Joachim had given John Gregory’s side an early lead but Madar levelled before half-time.
Sadly, things fell apart for Everton after the break and a strike from Gary Charles and Dwight Yorke brace condemned Howard Kendall’s men to a 4-1 defeat, leaving the team fourth from bottom in the Premier League table.
Howard Kendall was also the manager ON THIS DAY in 1987 when Everton travelled to north London to take on Arsenal in a ‘must-win’ contest.
The Blues were second in the First Division table, six points behind Liverpool but with two games in hand and, on 28 March, the pendulum took a huge swing in Everton’s direction.
Wayne Clarke’s first goal for the Club couldn’t have been more timely. The striker found the net at Highbury in the 22nd minute and the third-placed Gunners couldn’t find a way back into the game.
Everton's post-match celebrations were enhanced enormously when they returned to the dressing room to discover that Liverpool had lost surprisingly at home to Wimbledon. The Blues were firmly in the driving seat in the race for the title.
Fred Pickering repaid a little bit more of the transfer fee that Harry Catterick had paid to Blackburn Rovers when he scored twice against Blackpool ON THIS DAY in 1964.
Pickering had netted a sensational hat-trick on his debut two weeks earlier and he made it five goals from his first four games for Everton with a brace against The Seasiders on 28 March.
The striker registered twice inside the opening 17 minutes to leave the Goodison faithful fully expecting another hat-trick. Alas, it didn’t happen.
South African winger Des Horne pulled a goal back for Blackpool in the 79th minute, before Alex Young struck an 87th minute clincher for the Blues.
