IT was entirely appropriate that Neville Southall should witness Everton ensuring their Premiership survival at Goodison Park on Saturday. The legendary figure now a coach at Bradford is renowned almost as much for his eccentric character as for the days when he reigned supreme amongst the great goalkeepers of his generation. Therefore it was fitting Big Nev's old club should stubbornly refuse to take the conventional approach to a straightforward situation in his presence. Ultimately, the mission was accomplished as Everton defeated the league's bottom team to guarantee their safety and instigate the phenomenon of a Liverpool victory being greeted with a resounding cheer amongst the home support. But this is Everton, where the one consistent factor in this troubled season has been the team's fondness for doing things the hard way and where the club's motto may have to be changed to 'Nothing but torture is good enough'. Victory over Bradford has kept the agonies of a final day bid to avoid relegation at bay, but as passable impressions of the first great escape against Wimbledon in 1994 go, this was very Alistair McGowan. Conceding an early goal just to make sure the pre-match tension melted into sheer terror in the stands, a rousing comeback with penalties thrown into the bargain; Neville must have thought hed never gone away. And just like seven years ago, a goalkeeper stepped into the spotlight to earn Evertonian thanks. Take a bow Paul Gerrard. When he last walked off the Goodison pitch on Easter Monday he was inconsolable after being caught out by Gary McAllister in the last seconds of the Merseyside derby. But fortunes change swiftly in football and this time he was mobbed by an ecstatic Michael Ball and Scot Gemmill on the final whistle, before a suited Paul Gascoigne strode onto the pitch to offer his congratulations and thanks. A penalty saved from Robbie Blake, one watched sail over the bar by Benito Carbone, an acrobatic leap to stop Gunnar Halle's intended cross dipping into his net and a dominance of his area not always seen helped Gerrard earn the accolades on an afternoon when he had to keep his head while so many around him were in danger of losing theirs. Not for the first time this decade, fear amongst the supporters transmitted its way to the team who managed to create and miss at least a dozen clear chances whilst looking petrified in possession. That much was evident from the opening seconds against a Bradford side playing open, attacking football in the knowledge their future in the Premiership was all but over. Usually the nerves would have been eased once a team settles into a pattern, but falling behind after only 123 seconds of the contest put a swift end to that notion as Carbones corner saw Andy Myers break free of Steve Watson's attentions and head home his first ever goal for Bradford into the Gwladys Street net. An immediate response was demanded and to their credit, Everton obliged, only to lose their way completely once inside the Bradford box. Having spoken on Football Focus about how the Blues always score once he has a recognised strike partner alongside him, Kevin Campbell was duly rewarded for his confidence with the arrival of 'one of those days'. Within five minutes of Myers' shock the Blues No 9 should have restored parity when Watson's inviting cross found him unmarked on the six yard line. But his weak header allowed Gary Walsh to make the first of many contributions to the game. With Niclas Alexandersson and David Unsworth following their orders to arrived with encouraging regularity only to be despatched with alarming inaccuracy. Duncan Ferguson saw two volleys blocked before stinging Walsh's hands with a rising drive that from the subsequent corner saw David Weir head straight at the City keeper. Mark Pembridge, Scot Gemmill and Unsworth all blazed wide before Bradford threatened to add a second. Once again the home side lost their way at most set-pieces, while Gerrard tipped Carbone's curler wide and Ball produced one of many sublime tackles to take the ball away from Eoin Jess as the visitors broke in numbers. Blake then skipped away from Richard Gough and Weir only to push his shot wide of the goal. At the other end, Campbell saw three decent openings slip away from him, Watson totally miskicked in front of goal, Alexandersson fired wide and Ferguson forced another good stop out of Walsh. At half-time Walter Smith opted to shuffle his pack by bringing on Thomas Gravesen and the impressive Tony Hibbert, for the booked Unsworth and the injured Gough. Within 80 seconds of the restart those doubts subsided, although the fears lingered for much longer. Ball's long throw was headed on by Campbell over Alexandersson and his marker, allowing Ferguson to claim his sixth goal of the season with a low shot through Walsh's legs. Back on level terms, that's when the fun really started. Hibbert, Weir and Watson all failed to clear their lines, enabling Carbone to break through only to be hauled down by the former Newcastle man. Referee Paul Durkin was in no doubt, but thankfully neither was Paul Gerrard as he guessed right to impressively turn Blake's spot kick away. The Blues continued to carve out openings and were rewarded in the 64th minute when Alexandersson volleyed home Gemmill's deflected cross. But no sooner had the home side dared to contemplate safety when they gave a second penalty away a minute later. Again Watson was the culprit as Myers headed the ball against his hand, but again Bradford could not capitalise as this time Carbone sent the penalty high into the unbridled celebrations in the Park End. Campbell could have made the closing quarter much easier with two good chances to head home, but only forced Walsh into action with one of them, while Ferguson leaped majestically to turn Alexandersson's cross goalwards but saw the former Manchester United keeper defy him again with a one-handed save. Aptly, Paul Gerrard had the last kick of the match after having a large say in Everton's survival. After the relief comes the reality that with wealthy Fulham and possibly Blackburn joining the Premier League next season, Everton need to improve drastically to stop this as they said in 1994 - from happening again. EVERTON (4-4-2): Gerrard; Watson, Weir, Gough (Hibbert, 46 mins), Ball; Alexandersson, Gemmill, Pembridge, Unsworth (Gravesen, 46 mins); Campbell, Ferguson. Unused subs: Simonsen, Moore, Tal. BRADFORD CITY (4-3-3): Walsh; Halle, Molenaar, Myers, Jacobs; Lawrence, McCall, Jess; Carbone, Ward, Blake. Unused subs: Nolan, Davison, Locke, Grant, Kerr. REFEREE: Paul Durkin BOOKINGS: Evertons Unsworth (foul), Bradford's Ward and Molenaar (both fouls) ATT: 34,256 | 
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