ROQUE JUNIOR’S SHIRT WASN’T the only thing left in tatters as a hat-trick from Steve Watson inspired Everton to a thumping win over a spineless Leeds United side bereft of class and character. The only thing Leeds managed to enhance during what proved to be a chastising return to Merseyside for Peter Reid, the former Everton favourite, was their reputation for being a club in freefall.

To put the result into context, Everton were four goals to the good inside the first hour and Wayne Rooney was still on the substitutes’ bench. In his place was Duncan Ferguson, who was rewarded for his brace against Stockport County in midweek with a first Premiership start since April 2000 and duly repaid David Moyes’s faith with a performance that will give Junior, the Brazilian World Cup winner, nightmares for weeks to come.

Ferguson’s name alone on the Everton team-sheet will have done little to settle the nerves of Junior, who has struggled to adapt to the pace and rigours of English football since joining Leeds on loan from AC Milan.

Not having Rooney to worry about was the least of the visiting team’s problems as their defence was exposed with embarrassing ease. It had taken Ferguson less than 15 minutes to introduce himself to Junior. In the wake of sustained Everton pressure, the pair challenged for a bouncing ball that resulted in Ferguson almost ripping his opponent’s shirt off his back. Junior went one step farther and removed it completely in a theatrical attempt to make his point to Paul Durkin, the referee. In fairness to Junior, he responded well by doing just enough to put off Ferguson as he shot wide of goal but it was to prove his only highight on an otherwise wretched afternoon.

Leeds had their backs to the wall. Thomas Radzinski had a goal disallowed for offside and then dragged another shot wide, while the impressive James McFadden demanded a smart save from Paul Robinson. There seemed no outlet for Leeds and no answer to the tide of blue sweeping towards them. Both sides were in desperate need of a win, yet it seemed one of them wanted it much more than the other.

It was inevitable that Everton would take the lead and Watson obliged, courtesy of a clever interchange with Ferguson that left Junior hopelessly exposed. With Junior attracted towards Ferguson, Watson was able to drift into space on the right hand side of the Leeds penalty area before receiving a return ball and hammering an unstoppable drive past Robinson.

Ferguson left Junior on the seat of his pants once again in the 33rd minute but spoilt the moment by screwing his shot wide. Moments later Radzinski charged onto Watson’s searching pass but saw his low shot clip the outside of Robinson’s left-hand post.

Such profligacy became irrelevant when Everton scored twice in the space of four minutes. Watson doubled his tally and that of his side with a clever lob from 40 yards after Robinson had raced off his line to hack clear under pressure from Radzinski. Five minutes before the break Ferguson got in on the act, nipping between Junior and Zoumana Camara to head Tony Hibbert’s accurate cross past a shell-shocked Robinson. Game over.

Watson completed his hat-trick and the rout seven minutes after the interval. Leeds have now conceded ten goals in three successive defeats and Reid admits he has run out of excuses.

“We were fortunate to lose 4-0,” he said. “We were second best in every department and teams will be saying we haven’t got the stomach for it, for a battle.

“It will be a long season. You train hard, get organised and then don’t show up when it counts. I’ve got no excuses, I just can’t explain that performance. I can’t justify that to the supporters. It’s difficult to take because I’ve been in football a long time and I’m fair with my players, but I just can’t defend that.”

Everton (4-4-2): N Martyn 6 — T Hibbert 5, J Yobo 5, A Stubbs 5, D Unsworth 6 — S Watson 7 (sub: K Kilbane, 75min, 5) T Gravesen 6, L Carsley 5, J McFadden 6 (sub: T Linderoth, 87 5) — D Ferguson 6, T Radzinski 6 (sub: W Rooney, 75 6). Substitutes not used: D Weir, I Turner. NEXT: Tottenham Hotspur (a). FORM: WLDLDW

Leeds United (4-4-2): P Robinson 5 — G Kelly 5, R Junior 4, Z Camara 4, D Matteo 5 — J Pennant 5 (sub: A Lennon, 45 5), J Morris 5, S Johnson 5 (sub: S Olembe, 45 5), L Sakho 5 (sub: M Bridges, 45 6) — A Smith 5, M Viduka 5. Substitutes not used: I Harte, S Carson. Booked: Camara. Bridges. NEXT: Blackburn Rovers (h). FORM: LLLWDL

Shots on target: (h) 9 (a) 2. Fouls: (h) 11 (a) 17. Offsides: (h) 6 (a) 2

Referee: P Durkin 7. Attendance: 39,151