Stoke claim narrow Everton win

Stoke avoided another European hangover by claiming their first Goodison Park win in 30 years with a 1-0 success against Everton.

Potters climb above Toffees into top eight after rare Goodison win

Stoke avoided another European hangover by claiming their first Goodison Park win in 30 years with a smash-and-grab 1-0 success against Everton. German defender Robert Huth grabbed an early winner when he prodded home Dean Whitehead's shot from close range. Victory enabled the Potters to leap above their opponents into eighth place in the Premier League table. Everton had hoped to pay the perfect tribute to former captain Gary Speed, who was given a fitting farewell by an emotional Goodison crowd before kick-off, by claiming their third straight top-flight win. The Toffees had dominated the opening exchanges before Huth broke the deadlock with his first goal of the season when the home side failed to clear a Stoke corner. David Moyes' side continued to press throughout with Marouane Fellaini and Jack Rodwell going closest. But they failed to show enough quality in the final third to break down Stoke's determined rearguard which held firm until the end of seven minutes of stoppage-time. It meant Tony Pulis' team recorded victory after a European outing for only the second time this season. The hard-fought win also improved their woeful away record and ended a run of four successive defeats on the road.

Applause

There was an emotional start to the game after tributes were paid to former Toffees star and Wales manager Speed, who died last weekend. Both teams walked out to the Welsh national anthem as opposed to the familiar Z Cars theme tune. Speed's father Roger was among a number of his son's former team-mates invited on to the pitch to join in a minute's applause before kick-off, while mascots wearing the kits of Wales and all the clubs represented by the midfielder joined the group around the centre-circle. Stoke defender Jonathan Woodgate, a former team-mate at Newcastle, shared an embrace with Speed senior before taking up an unfamiliar right-back position. There was little in the early exchanges with Diniyar Bilyaletdinov bundling a shot so wide it failed to go out after a flick on by Apostolos Vellios, making only his second Everton start. The Russian's next intervention, however, led to the opening goal. His weak header from Matt Etherington's 15th-minute corner dropped to Whitehead on the edge of the penalty area and he drilled in a shot which Huth turned past Tim Howard from close range. Bilyaletdinov, having been kept out of the side for most of the campaign, seemed to be involved everywhere with one hanging cross being clawed out under his own crossbar by goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen. It was Stoke, though, who seemed to be posing the greater goal threat and when Glenn Whelan's left-wing corner was flicked on both Ryan Shotton and Ryan Shawcross, with the latter also seeing a header tipped over by Howard. Everton midfielder Fellaini was convinced he should have had a penalty on the stroke of half-time when he nodded Bilyaletdinov's corner wide. The Belgium international claimed he was being held by Shawcross and television replays suggested he was right.

Shout

Everton had another penalty shout in the 67th minute when Huth opted to leave Leighton Baines' chipped pass and Tim Cahill nipped in front of Sorensen. The two collided, with the Denmark goalkeeper seemingly failing to connect with the ball, but referee Mason - possibly influenced by an injury to Sorensen - awarded only a corner. Despite the chorus of disapproval from the majority of Goodison Park, the injury appeared to be a genuine one as, only a couple of minutes later, the dazed goalkeeper left the field on a stretcher. His replacement Asmir Begovic, deposed as first choice in recent weeks, was not exactly tested in the remainder of the game. The closest Everton came to threatening was in the 86th minute but even then John Heitinga failed to get his head on Baines' cross from six yards out. Seven minutes of added time failed to provide an equaliser and Everton's mini-revival of back-to-back wins came to a shuddering halt.