Rooney cheek gives Everton last laugh

There is something of the naughty schoolboy about Everton's 16-year-old sensation Wayne Rooney - and one moment of mischief sparked his version of a playground punch-up.

At an age when he could still be asking to mind fans' cars, Rooney is already an inspiration inside the ground. When Middlesbrough keeper Mark Schwarzer tried to stop Kevin Campbell taking the ball off him to throw it for a corner and sneakily dropped it behind his back, Rooney found the chance too good to miss.

He picked up the ball, smashed it into Schwarzer's backside and brought the house down. The Everton fans, already lifted by Rooney's half-time entrance, loved his enthusiasm and helped sweep David Moyes' team to an unlikely 2-1 win.

There are few grounds where the supporters can lift a team like Goodison and Rooney is the man - or boy - who can light the blue touch paper. Moyes will ask referee Mike Messias to review Rooney's booking by looking at the video tape. But inside even he must have been chuckling.

For Everton to continue to defy their crippling debts they need more Rooney inspiration. One rampaging run showed he is top class, even in his teens.

Moyes is doing all he can to keep Rooney-mania in check, but he knows the impact the youngster has had. He said:'Wayne helped us to win. I didn't tell him at half-time he was coming on, I told him to go out while I talked to the other players and was telling one or two they needed to be better.

'The lad just loves to play, he wants the ball all the time. We just should not expect too much of him. Even with his physique and strength you have to remember he is just 16.