Match report from the afternoon away defeat versus Everton
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Everton's final home game of the season ended on a high with a convincing 3-1 victory over West Ham United.
A brace from Louis Saha either side of a Joseph Yobo finish was enough to see off the Londoners, who went ahead through a right-footed rocket from Radoslav Kovac.
Everton started the brighter with long-range efforts from both Saha and Steven Pienaar, who whistled one inches over the bar.
But it was Leon Osman who should have broken the deadlock inside the first 15 minutes.
Lars Jacobsen's floated cross found Marouane Fellaini, who cushioned his header to Osman, but with only the keeper to beat he couldn't find the target.
West Ham were struggling to make any ground but a neat ball over the top caught the backline square before a heavy first touch from Diego Tristan gave Tim Howard the chance to race off his line and gather.
It was Everton asking all the questions, but against the run of play the Hammers stunned their opponents and stole an opener with a 30-yard thunderbolt from Kovac.
The Czech international latched on to a pass from Mark Noble in the middle of the park and let rip into the right-hand corner of the goal.
Despite the early deficit, Everton kept forcing the visitors back with Saha making a menace of himself and quick feet from the Frenchman released Tim Cahill inside the box before an outstretched leg from James Tomkins sent him tumbling.
With referee Phil Dowd pointing straight to the spot, he then added insult to injury and reached for the red to give an unlucky Tomkins his marching orders.
Having single-handedly created the opening for Cahill, it was Saha who stepped up to send Robert Green the wrong way and deservedly bring Everton level.
After the break, David Moyes' side flew out of the starting blocks and within minutes had taken advantage of the extra man with a good finish from Yobo.
An in-swinging corner from Pienaar was controlled well by the tall centre-half and, with no one rushing to block the shot, Yobo drilled the ball through the legs of two West Ham players and into the bottom corner.
The game was put out of West Ham's reach on 76 minutes after a well-timed pass from Leighton Baines allowed Pienaar to drop his shoulder - leaving Jonathan Spector rooted to the spot - and his low ball across the face of goal was tapped in by Saha for his second of the game.
The win moves the Toffees above Aston Villa into fifth with one game to play, but the place is not certain as the final game is at Craven Cottage where Fulham have one of the best home records in the top-flight. |
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