*Villa draw a blank as the Ellis backlash begins*

Aston Villa’s first match since the resignation of John Gregory was marked by a lack of quality as the Premiership’s great underachievers laboured manfully but to little effect.

There was also an absence of malice in the highly publicised demonstration demanding the end of the Villa chairman Doug Ellis’s 20-year reign, though by the end calls for his resignation had become cacophonous and a Villa supporter holding aloft an “Ellis out” banner walked across the pitch before being escorted away by police.

For Everton and their manager Walter Smith this was another step in the right direction. They are unbeaten in their past three Premiership games and were unfortunate not to have taken all three points from this one.

“We created more chances overall but I’m pleased with the draw, especially considering all the players who were missing,” Smith said.

Paul Gascoigne, who suffered a calf injury in training, was among the absentees and the game cried out for his creative influence. Instead it was left to Paul Merson to provide the spark of ingenuity that almost proved decisive when his solo run ended with a shot from distance which clipped Steve Simonsen’s crossbar.

John Deehan, Villa’s joint caretaker manager, thought the growing unrest among Villa’s malcontents had an effect on his players.

“It was a different sort of atmosphere to what most of our players are used to,” he said. “I felt it made them fractious and tentative. They could have used it as an excuse to throw in the towel but, to their credit, they kept going.”

Deehan was also encouraged by Villa’s first clean sheet in 14 games. They were indebted to their goalkeeper Peter Enckelman, playing because Peter Schmeichel had injured a finger, and some wayward Everton finishing for the shut-out.

Duncan Ferguson and Kevin Campbell were both involved in Everton’s most cohesive move of the first half, though Steve Staunton blocked Campbell’s shot, but it was a less elaborate approach that came closest to a goal: Ferguson’s header at the far post to meet Danny Cadamarteri’s right-wing cross forced Enckelman into a diving save.

Later Kevin Campbell shot wide when well placed and Nick Chadwick, a substitute for Cadamarteri, wasted an even better opportunity by firing over from close range.

By then Villa, who lacked the wit to break down Everton’s five-man midfield, had come within inches of going in front after Merson’s moment of virtuosity.

While that was created out of nothing, Dion Dublin, who replaced Darius Vassell at half-time, spurned Villa’s best chance of the game when he headed Juan Pablo Angel’s cross over the bar. Had either effort gone in, it would have been more than Everton deserved.

They will hope for fresh impetus today when Smith announces his first cash signing since the summer: the Swedish midfielder Tobias Linderoth arrives from FC Stabaek for £2.5m. The 22-year-old will arrive on Merseyside this morning to complete medical formalities and is seen as a replacement for the out-of-favour Thomas Gravesen.