Sport

Double joy for Campbell

For Bill Kenwright, who without hesitation cites match day as the most important part of a week that commonly includes some hobnobbing…

By TREVOR HAYLETT
Mon Feb 07 2000 - 00:00

For Bill Kenwright, who without hesitation cites match day as the most important part of a week that commonly includes some hobnobbing with the rich and famous, this must have been wholly satisfying. With the ink barely dry on his takeover papers his team go and make merry away from home.

Everton's goals all came in the space of 10 second-half minutes and caught everyone by surprise because of the mundaneness of the first half. Kevin Campbell helped himself to a couple, but for honours he had a close challenger in Danny Cadamarteri, who set up both and treated the Wimbledon defence to an exhibition of his startling pace all afternoon.

Victories for Bradford and Southampton 24 hours before had reminded both these sides that they were uncomfortably close to the relegation places. Everton are much healthier now while Wimbledon are casting anxious glances over their shoulder.

After a dour, unpromising and featureless first half, Cadamarteri was assured when delivering the ball for Campbell to score Everton's first, after 53 minutes, though it owed much to Neil Sullivan as well. There was a suspicion that he slipped as he came to meet the cross; the result was that Campbell got there first and Everton were off and running.

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"The game could have gone either way until the first goal and of course I am disappointed with both the result and the performance," said Wimbledon manager Egil Olsen.

Another Cadamarteri cross on the hour found Kenny Cunningham looking for offside and that granted Campbell a free header and the chance to register his 12th Premiership goal of the campaign.

Herman Hreidarsson was the next Wimbledon player at fault, this time with a loose pass which went straight to Don Hutchison, who immediately sent Campbell clear. His low cross was turned home by Joe-Max Moore for his third goal in only four appearances.

Altogether not a bad return for a visiting side missing both Nick Barmby and Francis Jeffers.

Wimbledon: Sullivan, Cunningham, Andersen, Hreidarsson, Kimble, Badir (Francis 76), Earle (Ardley 66), Euell, Leaburn (Andresen 66), Gayle, Cort. Subs Not Used: Willmott, Davis.

Everton: Myher, Dunne, Gough, Weir, Unsworth, Moore, Hutchison (Xavier 84), Pembridge, Ball, Cadamarteri, Campbell. Subs Not Used: Collins, Gemmill, Jeffers, Simonsen. Booked: Moore. Goals: Campbell 53, 61, Moore 63.

Referee: G Barber (Tring, Herts).