Everton 5-1 Hull City: Five-star Toffees thrash Tigers

Arteta and Donovan inspire crushing victory

7 Mar 2010 17:50:00

By Alex Fisher

More On :  Everton, Hull City, Everton vs Hull City
Landon Donovan, Everton, EPL (Getty)

Everton moved into eighth position in the Premier League table with a convincing 5-1 victory over Hull City at Goodison Park.
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The home side were again without influential midfielder Tim Cahill who missed out due to a calf problem whilst a thigh injury sidelined top scorer Louis Saha. Phil Jagielka and Leon Osman returned to David Moyes’ starting line-up with Jack Rodwell dropping to the bench.

Hull City manager Phil Brown was handed a huge boost for this match with the return of Jimmy Bullard for the first time in 2010. It was the creative midfielder's first match since injuring his knee against Aston Villa in December. A suspension to Craig Fagan saw Amr Zaki start up front on his own, whilst injuries to Anthony Gardener, Stephen Hunt and Andy Dawson say Kamil Zayatte, Nick Barmby and Kevin Kilbane all return to the starting line-up.

Everton began the game well but it was the visitors who had the first chance of the match in the fifth minute. A cross from ex-Evertonian Barmby found Garcia one-on-one with Tim Howard. The Australian controlled the ball well but Howard made a good save from the midfielder's attempted chip.

In the 12th minute the home side created their first clear -ut chance of the match. Osman picked up on a mistake by George Boateng and the midfielder’s threaded pass found Yakubu Aiyegbeni who held off Zayatte and struck a left-footed shot which hit the post and bounced to safety.

Five minutes later Everton broke the deadlock through their Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta. Osman found Yakubu on left wing, the Nigerian delivered a deep right footed cross which found Arteta at the back post. The midfielder volleyed the ball into the ground which bounced over the dive of Myhill and into the back of the net for his first goal of an injury-ravaged season.

The Toffees had a chance to double their lead in the 28th minute when Zayatte brought down Yakubu inside the penalty area. A cross from Leighton Baines found the Nigerian striker who was clumsily tackled from behind by the Guinean defender and referee Lee Mason pointed to the penalty spot. Yakubu picked himself up to take the penalty but Myhill saved the striker’s poor penalty, although replays showed the goalkeeper was yards off his line when the ball was struck.
 
Four minutes late Everton were made to pay for their penalty miss as Hull grabbed an equalising goal. A left wing free kick from Bullard was headed clear by Jagielka but only as far as Tom Cairney who controlled the ball on his chest before unleashing a crisp left foot shot which flew past Tim Howard for his first goal of the season.

With six minutes left to play in the first half Everton put themselves back in front and it was Arteta again who grabbed his second of the afternoon. Victor Anichebe made a good run down the right wing, his low pull back found Steven Pienaar inside the penalty area. The South African played a clever backheel into the path of Arteta who side-footed his shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Everton began the second half very quickly and thought they had extended their lead minutes into the half. A pass from Pienaar found Yakubu who raced past the Hull City defence, his scuffed shot across the goal fell into the path of Anichebe who side-footed the ball home only for the referee’s assistant to rule it out for offside. It was a controversial decision from the official as replays showed both Yakubu and Anichebe were onside.

In the 51st minute Everton did have their third goal thanks to an own goal from Garcia. Some neat play by Arteta down the left side of the Hull penalty area enabled him to deliver a chipped cross towards the back post. Hull goalkeeper Myhill was unable to claim it and the ball hit the unsuspecting Garcia and the ball fell into the back of the net.

Everton began to lay siege to the visitors' goal with numerous attacks and substitute Rodwell, Yakubu and Distin all had chances to extend their lead but they were denied by Cairney and Myhill.

In the 73rd minute Yakubu had another chance to get his name on the scoresheet, the striker playing a one-two with substitute Landon Donovan before firing his shot over the bar from 10 yards out.

With nine minutes left Everton scored their fourth goal of the game through the popular striker Donovan. A nice move down the left hand side released Baines who delivered a cross which found the American striker at the back post. The substitute controlled the ball before smashing it into the far corner of the net to pile on the misery for Hull City.
 
Everton put the game beyond the visitors in the 85th minute and the impressive substitute Donovan was again involved. The American had the ball on the right hand side of the penalty area before playing a square ball into the path of Rodwell who fired the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

A great afternoon for Everton but disaster for Hull who are in the bottom three and next up welcome Arsenal to the KC Stadium.

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