Olivier Dacourt returned to haunt his old club Everton last night when his 76th-minute goal gave Leeds United a point at Goodison Park. However, the result will have disappointed both managers; David O'Leary because a win would have taken Leeds up to fifth, and Walter Smith, whose side desperately needed three points to get clear of the relegation zone.

Smith will, perhaps have been the most disappointed, as his side were twice ahead. Duncan Ferguson scored their first before going off with an arm injury before the break. Goodison Park last night.

Leeds could count themselves extremely unlucky to be behind at this stage after dominating almost all the play. But from almost constant Leeds pressure, Everton broke out and took the lead on 23 minutes.

Leeds failed to deal with a cross from the right, and it fell for Thomas Gravesen on the left to lob back into the box. Nigel Martyn came for the cross but failed to connect properly.

The ball bounced out to the edge of the box where Ferguson prodded it calmly back into the net through a ruck of players.

A minute later Scott Gemmill was booked for a bad foul on Robbie Keane as a stunned Leeds fought back.

Mark Viduka had a low drive deflected inches wide of a post on 31 minutes, and then Paul Gerrard saved bravely when Viduka collected a bouncing ball that had eluded Naysmith and hit a close-range shot straight at the keeper.

Three minutes later Ferguson, clearly in pain from what looked like an injury to the same arm that had recently been in plaster following a hand injury, was replaced by Idan Tal.

Ferguson had fallen heavily on the arm three times and was holding the limb to his chest trying to protect it from further damage. But it was obviously not worth the risk of further damage.

Ferguson's goal had been Everton's only shot before Kevin Campbell volleyed a glorious chance over the bar from 12 yards after Tal's neat pass on 39 minutes.

Four minutes before the break, Lucas Radebe became the third booking for a tackle from behind on Campbell.

Leeds' misfortune continued after the break. More pressure produced a Harte header from Bowyer's corner that hit Gough's legs and bounced onto a post after 52 minutes.

Gravesen was running himself ragged battling to stem the flow from Leeds' midfield while Gough, Ball and David Weir were doing just as well at the back for Everton.

Leeds looked to be running out of ideas as Everton started to find gaps to exploit. The home side were winning lots of crucial tackles, Gough and Weir were keeping Keane shackled and Leeds - for all their pressure - were winning few headers in the box.

It took a 30-yard low drive from Harte to get Leeds back into the game. Another ball was pumped into Everton's box and once again it was headed clear.

But this time Moore could not get out quick enough to shut down Harte's view, and the full back drilled a low drive through a packed area and inside the far post.

Everton replaced Moore with an extra defender in Dave Unsworth before the re-start.

Then Kevin Campbell retored his side's lead before Dacourt earned David O'Leary's men a share of the spoils.

EVERTON: Gerrard, Weir, Gough, Ball, Steve Watson, Naysmith, Gemmill, Moore, Gravesen, Ferguson, Campbell. Subs: Unsworth, Hughes, Simonsen, Jeffers, Tal.

LEEDS: Martyn, Matteo, Radebe, Ferdinand, Harte, Mills, Batty, Dacourt, Bowyer, Keane, Viduka. Subs: Robinson, Wilcox, Smith, Bakke, Burns.

Referee: N Barry