Toffees nail Hammers

Yakubu: Celebrating his opener

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Late goals at the end of each half by Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Andy Johnson gave Everton a 2-0 victory over West Ham.

The win stretches Everton's unbeaten run to 12 games with the victory.

The Hammers had more of the possession, but were unable to break through a solid Everton back-line.

The home side enjoyed the better of the chances in the first half, but with injury time approaching Yakubu snatched his ninth league goal of the season.

A looping cross from Mikel Arteta was knocked back across goal by Tim Cahill, and Yakubu got his head to the ball before the outstretched hands of Robert Green.

Everton retreated behind the ball after the break, and West Ham were forced to resort to firing desperate long balls into the box.

With time almost up and the Hammers pushing for an equaliser, Johnson was able to take advantage of the wide open spaces to race away from Matthew Upson and coolly lob the ball over Green to seal the game in second-half stoppage time.

West Ham started on the front foot and Ashton got there ahead of Joseph Yobo but his deft volley over Howard's head drifted inches wide.

James Collins then wasted a gift for West Ham after a corner dropped to him unmarked seven yards out but the Wales international defender sliced his volley.

Leon Osman fired over from the edge of the West Ham box but the opening came for for Everton three minutes before the interval.

Opener

Parker tried to inject some urgency into the West Ham midfield after the interval with a charging run upfield but Everton were showed more urgency.

Green did well to punch clear under pressure and Lee Carsley then saw his 25-yard drive deflected wide for a corner.

Alan Curbishley then replaced Solano with Mark Noble as West Ham effectively switched to 4-3-3 with Ljungberg pushing forward to join Ashton and half-time arrival Henri Camara.

Noble bustled his way into the Everton box but there was still no end product from West Ham who could not break down the Toffees' high-pressure defence.

Green dived at Yakubu's feet to push the ball clear but West Ham continued to invite pressure on themselves as they repeatedly failed to keep posession.

Everton wasted a golden opportunity to seal the game when Osman waltzed onto a long ball from Arteta and blasted his shot high and wide with only Green to beat.

Green was stretched by a header from Yakubu and then tipped another long-range drive from Carsley over the bar.

Pienaar and Yakubu linked on the edge of the area to tee up another shooting opportunity for Osman, who again fired over the bar.

West Ham were trying to force things but their final ball was woeful and as they threw everything forward, Everton stung them on the break.

Phil Neville lumped a long ball forward and Johnson lofted his shot over the retreating Green.