BRIAN DEANE boosted his hopes of a Wembley place next Sunday with his first double of the season for Leeds. However, it was still not enough to secure victory against an Everton side chasing a place in the UEFA Cup.

Deane's goals have been slow in coming this season - only six before this match - but the timing could not have been better - a week before the League Cup final with Aston Villa. Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson, without Gary McAllister, Gary Speed, Tony Yeboah and David Weatherall included five players under 21 but his reshuffled side performed admirably, only to be denied a victory by Andrei Kanchelskis.

Everton have an appalling record at Elland Road and when Graham Stuart opened their account it was the first time they had scored at the ground in the league for 15 years. Andy Hinchcliffe had a glorious chance of securing their first league victory at Elland Road in 45 years, only to hit a penalty wide of the post.

Duncan Ferguson played the full 90 minutes for Everton after being doubtful because of a nagging groin strain. Scotland boss Craig Brown is expected to announce his squad today to face Australia next week and Ferguson could be in the frame. Certainly his aerial presence was always a threat to Leeds, who owed a debt of gratitude to goalkeeper John Lukic in a torrid first half.

Deane put Leeds ahead after only six minutes when Tomas Brolin played the ball back to him from the by-line. Craig Short, replacing injured skipper Dave Watson, and David Unsworth both went missing and the unmarked Deane rattled the ball home, his shot taking a deflection off Unsworth.

Everton stepped up the pace and Marc Hottiger sent his effort wide of the post when Ferguson was perfectly positioned in front of goal. Stuart brought Everton level after 28 minutes with his 14th goal of the season when he headed past Lukic following a cross from Anders Limpar. He should have added a second a minute later after a mistake by Gary Kelly, only he shot wide when clear on goal.

Everton were awarded the penalty when Andy Couzens bundled Ferguson over after the striker had seen his goal-bound shot saved by Lukic. Then Lucas Radebe cleared the rebound off the line from John Ebbrell. Everton kept up the pressure and Lukic did marvellously well to push over a powerful header from Ebbrell and then got a hand to another effort from Short.

Deane regained the lead for Leeds on the stroke of half-time when Mark Tinkler pulled the ball back and the big striker was again unmarked as he found the target.

Everton are resilient, however, and Kanchelskis brought them level when his shot took a deflection off Mark Ford after Unsworth had headed on a corner from Hinchcliffe. Everton went for the winner with Ferguson heading wide following a flying cross from Stuart and then, in the dying minutes, Limpar blasted the ball over after Hottiger had carved out an opening.