Everton sign off in style

Tomkins sent-off as West Ham fall to defeat

Last updated: 16th May 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Everton sign off in style

Saha: Two goals

Man of the Match: Steven Pienaar set up Everton's second and third goals as well as being a constant threat down the left-hand side

Goal of the Match: Radoslav Kovac stunned the home crowd with a thundering strike from all of 35 yards that gave Tim Howard no chance

Attempt of the Match: Pienaar almost gave Everton the lead early in the game with a long-range strike that whistled past the upright.

Miss of the Match: Luis Boa Morte should have equalised for the Hammers but hit a tame effort straight at Tim Howard when through on goal

Talking Point: James Tomkins tripped Tim Cahill in the penalty area, but did his foul warrant the red card he was given?

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Everton easily grabbed three points from their final home game of the season with a 3-1 win over West Ham.

The visitors took the lead against the run of play when Radoslav Kovac picked up the ball 35 yards out and blasted a long-range effort into the net as Everton stood off him.

But the game was changed completely when Everton were awarded a penalty and West Ham reduced to 10-men on 38 minutes.

As Tim Cahill burst into the penalty area, he was tripped by young centre-back James Tomkins. Phil Dowd pointed to the spot and showed Tomkins a red card.

Louis Saha stepped up and coolly sent goalkeeper Robert Green the wrong way, slotting his shot into the bottom corner.

Everton took the lead shortly after half-time when Joseph Yobo brought down a Steven Pienaar corner before firing his shot through a crowded six-yard box.

The match was put beyond doubt when Saha tapped-in from inside the six-yard box after some great work by Pienaar.

Possession

Everton had the majority of possession in the opening minutes, Saha dragging a shot wide of the post from the edge of the area after nine minutes having been set up by Pienaar.

Then Pienaar strode forward and unleashed a powerful effort from 25 yards that went narrowly over the bar.

Leon Osman should have given Everton the lead in the 13th minute but screwed his shot wide of the post after Marouane Fellaini had flicked on a cross from Lars Jacobsen.

West Ham responded and Kovac split the defence to release Diego Tristan. He seemed surprised at the chance and goalkeeper Tim Howard was able to mop up.

Osman tested Robert Green with a delicate chip in the 19th minute before West Ham took the lead with a goal out of nowhere in the 24th minute.

Kovac delivered his first goal for West Ham with a stunning effort from distance that flew beyond Howard.

Gianfranco Zola's team then grew in confidence and Tristan clipped a shot wide of the post in the 28th minute.

However, the game took a dramatic turn in the 38th minute when West Ham were reduced to 10 men as Tomkins tripped Cahill in the penalty area and was sent off.

Saha sent Green the wrong way with his spot-kick to take his tally for the season to six goals.

Lead

Everton then forged ahead in the 48th minute after some sloppy defending by the visitors. Yobo was left unmarked at the back post as Pienaar swung in the corner and the Nigerian rifled a shot into the net, the ball taking a slight deflection off Matthew Upson.

Everton almost increased their lead two minutes later. Saha got on the end of Osman's cross but his header clipped substitute Jonathan Spector and came back off the post.

But West Ham suddenly launched two swift counter-attacks with Luis Boa Morte missing a golden opportunity, then substitute Carlton Cole failed to get a decent touch in a good position.

Everton killed the game off in the 76th minute with Saha's second goal of the game. He scored from close range following a cross from Pienaar, who had shown good skill to skip to the byline.

Saha should have completed his hat-trick two minutes later but Green blocked his effort after he had been released by Cahill.

EvertonTeam StatisticsWest Ham United
3Goals1
11st Half Goals1
7Shots on Target4
11Shots off Target3
1Blocked Shots4
6Corners3
14Fouls15
1Offsides4
1Yellow Cards2
0Red Cards1
89Passing Success73.5
14Tackles17
71.4Tackles Success76.5
65.6Possession34.4
67.7Territorial Advantage32.3
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