Kilmarnock 1 - 1 Everton

Half-time: 0 - 1

Thomas Myhre played in goal, in the next stage of his comeback, and saved a 20-yd effort from Kilmarnock's David Bagan in the 2nd minute. However, it was the Blues who took the lead in the 6th minute as Campbell's square ball found Tony Grant.  He in turn found Tommy Johnson free on the right-hand side of the area, and with a curling left foot shot he finished well.

He could have had a brace two minutes later after being put clear of the Killie defence.  There looked to be a suspicion of off-side but it made no distance as this time he fired wide of the mark.

On 57 minutes, Meldrum was in action again with a terrific diving save to deny Johnson a second goal.  A shot by Mitchell on 70 minutes raised a huge cheer from the home support but Myhre spoiled the celebrations with a diving save to his right.  A couple of minutes later, Mitchell went off to a standing ovation from the crowd, and was replaced by Mark Roberts.

Four minutes from the end another substitute, Jerome Vareille, was first to react to Alex Burke's corner and fired home an equaliser.

Everton have played here once before, in fact, it was 36 years ago tonight.  We played them in the Inter City Fairs Cup on that occasion (we actually won the game 2-0; goals from Temple and Morrissey).  Both sides have actually met, a total of 6 times -

• 1891/92 home, draw 1-1
• 1924/25 home, lost 3-2
• 1960/61 in Canada, won 2-1
• 1962/63 home, won 4-1
• 1964/65 away, won 2-0
• 1964/65 home, won 4-1

Tonight however, Walter Smith – without his Scottish contingent, whose minds were obviously elsewhere, and Richard Gough who has taken the opportunity to have a family break back in America – decided to let Myhre have another game, his second in four days.  The line-up also saw Tony Grant, back from a successful loan period at Tranmere.

Two minutes into the game Kilmarnock struck first, with an 18-yd shot, forcing Myhre to dive full stretch to his left.  Within a couple of minutes, Everton regained full control of the match and from then on were in third gear all the way.  Johnson scored on 6 mins after some nice work involving Grant, Barmby and Campbell. A couple of minutes later, Johnson found himself in plenty of space just outside the Kilmarnock box but failed miserably.

After 10 mins, a rather large cheer came from the main stand. Wondering what was going on, we discovered the Scottish national team had come to take in the game, much to the enjoyment of the Kilmarnock faithful.  It took another half hour for Kilmarnock to have a chance at goal, resulting from a mix up in defence.  Myhre was off his line, some 18 yds, but the resulting chip/lob went wide of the mark.

In the 40th min, Grant crossed to Campbell, who used his ability and expertise to lay the ball off to Johnson, who just couldn't quite make perfect contact.  Grant again, just before half time, with another defence splitting cross, this time found Barmby who in turn found Campbell, but the shot was weak and their keeper had no problem in dealing with it.

Second half:

Everton took command virtually of the entire second half. Cleland's cross found Johnson, who then passed it to Campbell who shot direct at the keeper, who saved it.  Campbell again, on the hour mark, had a shot charged down from the edge of the box.  Johnson had another shot but once again, the Kilmarnock keeper who was playing in good form, had no problem in stopping the line of fire.

In the 86th min, Kilmarnock equalised with Vareille, who latched onto a corner that the Everton defence had failed to clear and, 3-yds out, he couldn't fail to miss.  Everton could have won the game in the 90th min, when Branch ran from midfield and did all the hard work, going around the keeper but, for some reason, he stopped and then decided to have another run around the keeper...  This time, the keeper smothered the ball at Branch's feet.

All in all, I think the game was used as a training match and a crowd of 4,174, of which about 200 were Evertonians, had a nice evenings' entertainment.

Johnson has endured a miserable time in Scotland with a series of long-term injuries depriving him a regular place and he is likely to make his switch to Goodison permanent at the end of next month.

His seventh minute strike looked to have given Walter Smith's men victory in a one-paced friendly, but Kilmarnock lifted the tempo late on to level through Jerome Vareille after 86 minutes.

Several Scotland international squad members joined the 4,174 Rugby Park crowd after making the journey from their nearby Troon base and were warmly received by the Kilmarnock faithful.

But the night still belonged to veteran Mitchell who has turned out more than 300 times for the Ayrshire outfit since then manager Jim Fleeting signed him from East Fife in 1991.

Fit-again Everton keeper Thomas Myhre made an early save to prevent David Bagan netting from a precise Mitchell cross, but it was the visitors who moved ahead.

After seven minutes, Kevin Campbell's cross was helped on by Nick Barmby for an unmarked Johnson to fire in low and hard under the body of Colin Meldrum.

Johnson might have doubled his and Everton's tally moments later but put his shot wide when clean through on Meldrum after Abel Xavier's neat pass.

Kilmarnock's response was sluggish, though Myhre needed to be alert to deny a Paul Wright strike which seemingly hit a divot and forced the keeper to save with his head.

Campbell twice came close after the break, firstly seeing a chip beaten away by Meldrum then a fierce shot from distance blocked bravely by Kevin McGowne.

A series of substitutions for both sides, including Campbell's withdrawal, disrupted the momentum of play though one of the newcomers Gareth Farrelly did fire just wide on 67 minutes.

A Myhre save denied Mitchell a goal after 76 minutes and it was to prove the man of the night's final contribution as he departed to a standing ovation for Mark Roberts to join the fray.

There was still time for Kilmarnock to draw level however as an Alex Burke corner fell kindly for another substitute Frenchman Vareille to slot in from close range with four minutes remaining.