Barry Bangs In Leveller For Blues Point

Thierno Barry found the back of the net again as a much-improved second-half display earned Everton a 1-1 draw against in-form Leeds United at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The Blues were out of sorts in the opening half and fell behind on 28 minutes when James Justin finished Anton Stach's right-wing cross.

But changes from David Moyes straight after the break proved crucial, Jarrad Branthwaite and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall coming on to inspire a far better showing from the hosts.

And they got their reward on 76 minutes as Barry banged in Gana's low cross from the right, before the returning Senegal midfielder nearly won it for the Blues moments later when he hit the bar from 20 yards out.

Eight days after helping Senegal to AFCON final glory against tournament hosts Morocco, Ndiaye and Gana came straight back into the starting XI as two changes from the 1-0 win at Aston Villa.

Ndiaye replaced the injured Jack Grealish on the left wing and Gana was preferred in central midfield to Merlin Röhl, who dropped to a strong bench that included injury returnees Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jarrad Branthwaite and Charly Alcaraz.

As Everton started on the front foot, Ndiaye took less than three minutes to dazzle, jinking his way one way and then the other to free up space down the left flank.

The hosts had to be careful moments later, though, when Anton Stach's through ball nearly played in Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the former Blues striker just beaten by the onrushing Jordan Pickford.

As the midway point of the first half passed, Thierno Barry got a roar of approval around Hill Dickinson as he spun past Sebastiann Bornauw on halfway and sprinted down the left channel, just missing out on sending a cross into the area from the byline with Dwight McNeil waiting.

But in-form Leeds went ahead just before the half-hour mark, Stach collecting the ball on the right and firing a low cross into the area that just missed Calvert-Lewin but rolled to Justin who hit a first-time finish beyond Pickford.

And it could have been even worse five minutes later, Brenden Aaronson given the space to turn and play goalscorer Justin down the right, whose low centre was turned onto the post by Calvert-Lewin.

Everton had struggled to open up Leeds but had a sniff as half-time approached, Armstrong doing well to win the ball to feed Ndiaye. The Senegalese squared to Garner as the midfielder drilled a low 20-yard shot into the side netting.

Moyes took action for the start of the second half, Branthwaite making his first competitive appearance of the season and Dewsbury-Hall joining him off the bench for McNeil and Armstrong as the Blues went to three in central defence.

Everton had their best chance of the match so far just before the hour when Gana did well to intercept on halfway and motor towards goal, timing his pass to compatriot Ndiaye, who turned Pascal Struijk but saw his finish blocked by Bornauw.

And the Blues went close again moments later, Garner sliding a pass into the path of Barry whose curling outside-of-the-boot shot was parried away by Karl Darlow.

Just as Leeds looked to be frustrating Everton, the equaliser came with 14 minutes remaining – and it was that man Barry. Dewsbury-Hall did well to slide a pass out wide to Gana who did even better to smash a right-wing cross into the box for the striker to blast past Darlow for his fourth league goal in five matches.

With fresh impetus flooding around Hill Dickinson, the Toffees went agonisingly close to taking the lead two minutes later when a slick move ended with substitute Tyler Dibling teeing up Gana to crack a finish from the edge of the area onto the crossbar.

Both teams went for victory in the closing stages but had to shared a point in the end which, in truth, was about right as Everton moved up to 10th in the Premier League table, three points off sixth.