yesterday when they crashed 3-1 to fellow strugglers Everton.

City looked as if they were on the way to a priceless away victory when Jeff Whitley headed home on eight minutes.

However, the home side rallied and Duncan Ferguson smashed home a volley before City 'keeper Nicky Weaver conceded a penalty.

He looked to have atoned for his error in hauling down Kevin Campbell when he saved Michael Ball's tame spot-kick, but the defender spared his own blushes when he rammed home the rebound.

The Toffees made the points safe in the 83rd minute when David Weir headed home.

Goater's fellow striker Paul Dickov and Everton's Alessandro Pistone were sent off in the dying minutes.

Meanwhile, Kyle Lightbourne played the last four minutes of Stoke City's 2-1 away victory at Luton Town.

The unwanted frontman replaced Bjarni Gudjonsson in a tactical move by Stoke boss Gudjon Thordarson in the 86th minute.

HEAT GO DOWN IN PLAY-OFF OPENER SOC Heat go down in play-off opener Harrisburg Heat suffered a 21-19 defeat in the first game of their best-of-three series against Philadelphia KiXX and now face an uphill battle to get past the first round of the NPSL American Conference play-offs.

Harrisburg, missing Bermudian and second leading goalscorer David Bascome from the line-up due to a thigh injury, led for much of last night's contest at Farm Show Arena, going up 7-4 in the first quarter and increasing to 17-15 after three.

Philadelphia though fought back to level matters and send the match to overtime, when the visitors prevailed, seizing away home-field advantage and setting up a possible clincher at home next weekend.

"Once you get a victory the world's a better place.'' -- Coventry City manager Gordon Strachan, uttering a sporting home truth after his struggling side won 3-1 at Leicester City on Saturday to move three points clear of second-to-bottom Manchester City. See story on page 32.