Billy saves Toffees' blushes

Russian midfielder cancels out Doyle strike

By Elliot Ball   Last updated: 17th October 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Billy saves Toffees' blushes

Bilyaletdinov: Late equaliser

Man of the match:
Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.
The Toffees new-boy showed a superb array of passing today and capped his performance with the vital equaliser.

Moment of the match:
Doyle's opener.
Not so much the finish, more the manner in which the Everton defence went totally asleep to Hennessey's punt forward which allowed the striker to slot home.

Save of the match
Wayne Hennessey to deny Louis Saha.
The Wolves shot-stopper turned out his best performance this season with countless crucial saves, but his 61st minute diving effort to halt Saha's goalscoring run was a peach.

Talking point:
Should Bilyaletdinov's equaliser have stood?
Moments before Jo's run, Marouane Fellaini sent Doyle tumbling but it went under Stuart Atwell's radar and the Wolves man said after the game he felt that decision cost his side three points.

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Everton managed to make it seven games unbeaten after Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's late equaliser rescued a point against Wolves on Saturday.

The Russian midfielder's first goal in the Premier League came in the 89th minute to save the blushes of the Toffees defence after a howler allowed Kevin Doyle to slot home a second-half opener.

Wolves grabbed the unexpected lead as Doyle was allowed free passage on goal when the Everton rearguard elected to let the ball bounce over their heads following Wayne Hennessey's goal-kick.

And the Irish striker made no mistake as he coolly found his third goal of the season as he slotted the ball under an airborne Tim Howard.

David Moyes' side had dominated large spells of the game and found themselves hard done by to go a goal behind and they eventually grabbed the equalising goal when Bilyaletdinov rounded off an inspired run by substitute Jo.

Wolves saw themselves down to ten men as substitute striker Stefan Maierhofer was sent off for a second bookable offence in the dying moments but Mick McCarthy's side held out to secure a valuable draw in their bid for survival.

Fellaini boost

Everton successfully defended their right to field Marouane Fellaini following a row with the Belgian federation but opted to put him on the substitutes' bench.

The only change from the side that drew with Stoke last time out for the Toffees was the return to the heart of defence of Joseph Yobo as captain.

Wolves had striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake making his first league start since the opening game of the season, when he suffered a hamstring injury against West Ham.

Ebanks-Blake added strength and running power up front and Wolves could easily have been ahead before half-time.

Greg Halford's long throw was a key part of their armoury and when he launched one into the box early on Christophe Berra's shot had to be charged down by Yobo.

Everton struggled to get going, although they went close when Louis Saha latched on to a long ball from Sylvain Distin and set up Tim Cahill for a rising shot on the run which flashed over the crossbar.

Wolves continued to cause Everton problems when they got the ball into the danger zone and Doyle produced a fine turn and shot from 15 yards to forced Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard into a fine save to his right.

Michael Kightly was booked for bringing down Leighton Baines but although Everton increased their tempo they did not do much to trouble Hennessey.

Twice just before the break Wolves could have scored, first when Halford touched a pass to David Edwards and the move ended with a shot from Ebanks-Blake that cannoned wide with Howard flat-footed.

Wolves went even closer a minute later when Doyle dummied Ronald Zubar's cross from the right and Ebanks-Blake rolled a shot inches wide.

Half-time change

Everton needed more punch up front and manager David Moyes sent on Yakubu to partner Saha, taking off Tony Hibbert at the break and pushing John Heitinga to right-back.

They also needed the ball delivered more quickly and Baines responded within 60 seconds of the restart with an angled cross that Saha met with a downward header, saved well by Hennessey at the near post.

Hennessey then made a fine point-blank save when Bilyaletdinov found himself clear on the right of the box following a Baines crossfield ball, the Wales goalkeeper bravely getting his body in the way.

Wolves then took off Kightly, sending on Matthew Jarvis. But it was Hennessey who was again outstanding soon after, turning away a Saha drive at full stretch.

Ebanks-Blake forced Howard into a plunging save before Yakubu broke down the left and fired a shot across goal at the other end.

A minute later former Everton forward Segundo Castillo came on in place of Halford before Edwards was booked for pulling down Baines as the contest heated up.

Everton sent on Brazilian striker Jo for Saha, but it was Wolves who grabbed the lead after 75 minutes from the increasingly impressive Doyle.

He latched on to a long clearance from Hennessey straight down the middle, and ran on to guide his shot wide of Howard.

Austria international Maierhofer was booked after a tangle with Cahill and Everton grabbed an equaliser after 88 minutes when Jo crossed from the left and Bilyaletdinov arrived on the far post to drive home.

Maierhofer was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Howard in injury time and was sent off, with the American goalkeeper booked for retaliating.

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