HOW Chief Soccer Writer Gordon Sharrock reported for this website.

Wanderers 1, EVERTON 2: Wanderers' Premiership survival prospects were dealt a severe blow by David Moyes' high-riding Everton on a disappointing and depressing night at the Reebok.

Desperate for points after a five-match winless streak, Sam Allardyce saw his revival hopes rocked by Steve Watson's double strike in the space of six first-half m inutes.

Without a win since beating Newcastle in a seven-goal Boxing Day thriller, Wanderers once again paid the penalty for failing to convert scoring chances - Michael Ricketts, Ivan Campo and Henrik Pedersen all missing opportunities in a bright opening before Watson hooked in a stunning shot on 33 minutes, right out of the blue.

When he bagged his second, Wanderers looked a forlorn outfit.

Allardyce changed his formation in the second half, introducing Kevin Nolan and turning to three centre-backs. Nolan might have pulled on back on 59 minutes if he had managed to get his header on target.

Delroy Facey was credited with pulling one back for Wanderers in the second minute of injury time (later the goal was given to Gudni Bergsson) but it was too late to deny Everton who might have been even further ahead but for Jaaskelainen making smart saves to keep out Gary Naysmith's shot and deny Watson his hat-trick.

Wanderers: Jaaskelainen; Mendy, Bergsson, N'Gotty, Charlton; Frandsen, Campo, Gardner; Djorkaeff, Ricketts, Pedersen. Subs: Nolan for Pedersen (h-t), Facey for N'Gotty 67 mins. Not used: Whitlow, Barness, Poole.

Everton: Wright; Pistone, Weir, Stubbs, Unsworth; Watson, Li Tie, Naysmith, Gemmill; Radzinksi, McBride. Subs: Yobo for Stubbs 78 mins, Pembridge for Naysmith 84 mins. Not used: Campbell, Pembridge, Gravesen, Gerrard.

Referee: R. Styles (Hampshire).

Attendance: 25,119.

20:51: WANDERERS 0, EVERTON 2.

Half-time

THE Reebok was stunned into silence as Steve Watson scored twice in six minutes to put Everton in control after Wanderers once again paid the penalty for failing to convert chances into goals.

Watson struck first on 33 minutes with a goal out of the blue, hooking a shot over his head and beyond the stranded Jussi Jaaskelainen to leave Sam Allardyce counting the cost of early opportunities that went begging.

But Wanderers' problems doubled when Watson popped up again, less spectacularly but no less decisively, to knock in the rebound after Jaaskelainen had saved Scott Gemmill's shot.

It could have been so different had Michael Ricketts been on target with a header with just 30 seconds on the clock or if Ivan Campo or Henrik Pedersen had not miscued chances set up by Youri Djorkaeff free kicks.

19:43: Tuesday, January 28, 2003.

BARCLAYCARD PREMIERSHIP

BOLTON WANDERERS v EVERTON

PER Frandsen made it but Jay Jay Okocha was less fortunate, failing a fitness test on his recent hamstring injury and missing what Sam Allardyce referred to frankly as the first of two home games in five days that could have a major bearing on Wanderers' prospect of staying in the Premiership.

Frandsen, who limped out of the 1-0 defeat at Newcastle after just nine minutes, recovered from the bruising on his knee to retain his place in midfield.

Michael Ricketts' re-appearance in the starting line-up suggested that, despite the intense speculation linking him with a pre-deadline transfer, he could still be at the Reebok when Wanderers take on his home city club, Birmingham, on Saturday.

Everton, without suspended teen ace Wayne Rooney, went with Canadian Thomasz Radzinksi and American loan star Brian McBride as their frontline pairing.

Wanderers: Jaaskelainen; Mendy, Bergsson, N'Gotty, Charlton; Frandsen, Campo, Gardner; Djorkaeff, Ricketts, Pedersen. Subs: Whitlow, Barness, Nolan, Facey, Poole.

Everton: Wright; Watson, Weir, Stubbs, Pistone; Li Tie, Naysmith, Gemmill, Unsworth; Radzinksi, McBride. Subs: Campbell, Pembridge, Gravesen, Yobo, Gerrard.

Referee: R. Styles (Hampshire).