On Saturday, as Wanderers toiled bereft of the creativity that might have turned a solid defensive display into a second Premiership victory, thoughts turned to the Yugoslav and what he might offer.

Another game, another missed opportunity and another step nearer fulfilling the bookies' pre-season predictions. This Bolton team - irrespective of the hard work they are putting in and the hard-luck stories they may feel inclined to tell - is desperately in need of inspiration in some shape or form.

Whether Curcic will be good enough alone to make the difference between success and failure in the survival stakes will only become clear once the necessary work permit is granted.

But Wanderers were crying out for a touch of class in midfield - both before and after referee Paul Alcock handicapped them in their latest top level test with the mind-boggling dismissal of Richard Sneekes. And, if the Yugoslav lives up to his international reputation, you fancy Everton's defenders would have had a much more uncomfortable afternoon.

Instead, the FA Cup holders were given an open invitation to launch attack after attack in pursuit of an equaliser to cancel out Mixu Paatelainen's dramatic 45 second comeback goal.

For practically the entire game Kanchelskis, Amokachi and Co hit the brick wall of an ever-improving Bolton back line until the FA Cup winner himself, Paul Rideout, squeezed a spectacular scissors kick through the narrowest possible gap between Keith Branagan and his right hand post.

Even Joe Royle had to admit: "I didn't think it was going to be our day. After the first two minutes we've gone forward but I couldn't see us scoring.

"It needed a special goal and we got one. It was a terrific strike and I was grateful for it."

The Goodison boss was less grateful for Mr Alcock's contribution, although he had less of a case arguing against Barry Horne's dismissal for a Lofthouse-like charge on Branagan ten minutes after Sneekes' had been ordered off for what was officially a second bookable offence but was, in essence, a powder-puff tackle.

Wanderers couldn't believe the injustice of it all. Yet, to their credit, they were looking for remedies rather than sympathy.

"It's disappointing after how hard we've worked," Roy McFarland admitted, "We had to defend in depth and we did that very well.

"But, when we got the ball, we gave it away too much. We got ourselves into some good positions but didn't make the right decisions.

"We need to be far more patient and hold the ball more when we have it." Cue Curcic, of whom McFarland's partner, Colin Todd, says: "The supporters should really be looking forward to seeing him. He has the ability to run at defenders with the ball and to pass and move it as well."

Not for the first time this season, Wanderers have invited pressure on themselves yet, for once, they looked quite capable of standing firm.

Everton contributed to their own frustrations with some wayward finishing but the Bolton back four - five if you include Alan Stubbs in the holding midfield role he appears to be born to play - took all the accolades.

Gudni Bergsson, who helped Iceland to a creditable scoreless draw against Turkey in midweek, deserved a clean sheet in his own right; Chris Fairclough was impressively effective after a hesitant start and Jimmy Phillips, far from being daunted by the prospect of marking Kanchelskis, benefited from the assistance of Mark Patterson, to give his best display of the season.

Stubbs, outstanding since returning to the fold against QPR, was the undisputed star of the show. His 'second coming' as a midfield player has given his managers serious food for thought and his suggestion that he is ready to settle his differences and talk about a new contract could be an inspiration in itself.

There was something fiercely determined about his disappointment at failing to beat the team he supported as a boy.

"Some people might say it's a good point but I think it's a bad result," he said with a hint of anger. "We worked hard for three points and defended well."

McFarland makes no bones about his opinion of the player who has caused him more headaches than any other since his arrival. "He's come back in and he's just got on with the job," says the manager. "He had an outstanding first 45 minutes when he was by far the best player on the field.

"He's played in three different positions already this season and everywhere he's played he's looked comfortable. Every position he plays, he's got quality!"

Unfortunately, the praise levelled at the defence was not shared by the creative department.

Wanderers started so brightly as to suggest all their cares had been consigned to history. Stubbs won a crunching header in midfield, Steve McAnespie was forward enough to have a cross intercepted then Sneekes supplied the deep centre for Paatelainen to plant a looping header over Neville Southall - his first Premiership touch since limping off at Wimbledon on the opening day of the season.

The Finn's second touch almost brought a second goal, again courtesy of Sneekes but this time Southall fingertipped the shot just off target.

After that, you held your breath as Amokachi and Kanchelskis threatened to move up into top gear. Much ado about nothing as it turned out but Wanderers didn't have much to shout about either.

Things appeared to be warming up, though, just before the break when Branagan saved Amokachi's deflected shot and watched helplessly as Rideout hit the rebound wide of an empty net and Everton already had the bit between their teeth before Mr Alcock sent Sneekes off for the most innocuous looking tackle on Andy Hinchcliffe six minutes into the second half.

They piled forward with sustained attacks while Wanderers were restricted to sporadic raids which were over all too quickly. Yet neither side managed to trouble the respective goalkeepers - apart from Horne's barge and Rideout's needle-threading.

There were question marks over Wanderers' use of substitutes - John McGinlay rather than Paatelainen being 'sacrificed' in favour of Scott Green after Sneekes' dismissal. But McFarland explained: "We knew he would tire at some stage but I thought Mixu was causing them a few more problems, particularly in the air.

"It was a little bit unfair on John but it was tactical and like all good professionals, he took the decision well."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.