Everton 2 Fulham 1
Everton, under the guidance of David Moyes, were looking for only their second win in 14 games, which would have pulled them clear of the bottom three. They got it. The first thirty minutes went like a dream; David Unsworth put Everton ahead after just 32 seconds. Ferguson knocked the ball into the path of Tomasz Radzinski, and he found Unsworth who fired a powerful left-foot finish past Edwin Van der Sar.
This great start got even better when Duncan Ferguson struck on thirteen minutes. Van der Sar's weak clearance rebounded off Ferguson and the striker, being watched by new Scotland coach Berti Vogts who hopes to tempt him out of international retirement, rolled home a simple finish.
All was rosy up until the half hour mark when Thomas Gravesen rediscovered his ability to be an absolute prat. We were fine, we were winning two nil, there could have been more. But no, Gravesen got himself sent off for a second booking. He had been warned, and no one had any real complaints. Gravesen had already been booked for a foul on Luis Boa Morte. And his second moment of recklessness put Everton firmly on the back foot.
Six more yellow cards followed as Fulham took over. In the second half Everton hardly left their own half and never even looked like threatening to make Fulham think that they might create a chance. Barry Hayles came on for the visitors and he did well, making an instant impact Hayles set up Malbranque for a simple side-foot finish from six yards.
All was rosy up until the half hour mark when Thomas Gravesen rediscovered his ability to be an absolute prat. We were fine, we were winning two nil, there could have been more. But no, Gravesen got himself sent off for a second booking. He had been warned, and no one had any real complaints. Gravesen had already been booked for a foul on Luis Boa Morte. And his second moment of recklessness put Everton firmly on the back foot.
Six more yellow cards followed as Fulham took over. In the second half Everton hardly left their own half and never even looked like threatening to make Fulham think that they might create a chance. Barry Hayles came on for the visitors and he did well, making an instant impact Hayles set up Malbranque for a simple side-foot finish from six yards.
Everton were under siege, but Fulham's lack of penetration was evident as they never really looked like scoring despite constant pressure, until the last five minutes when Louis Saha headed against the bar with Steve Simonsen beaten. But that was it, Moyes punched the air at the end of the game. A big win it was, you never know, we might just make it.