Everton 1-0 Boro

By Rhys Lewis
November 6 2005

Everton recorded back to back wins for the first time this season with a 1-0 win at Goodison against Middlesbrough. The win came because of a header in the 16th minute by James Beattie after an Andy van der Meyde cross.

It was the visitors that started the game more brightly with a shot from Gaizka Mendieta who hit the side netting with an effort from just outside the box. The game then settled down a bit with James Beattie shooting from 30yards but saw his effort deflected wide. Everton then took the lead after a short corner between van der Meyde and Phil Neville, before van der Meyde played a delightful cross into the six yard box from which James Beattie powered a header home. Middlesbrough's best chance of the game came around the half hour mark when Mendieta played a neat through ball only to see Yakubu produce a tame effort saved by Nigel Martyn when he really should have scored. Everton nearly doubled their lead through James Beattie after his header flashed over the bar after an good cross from Hibbert.

The second half was a scrappy affair with very few clear cut chances from either side. The first effort of any real note was a free kick from James Beattie from 25yards but it went way over the bar. Everton should have really killed off the game with 10mins to go after some good work from the substitutes Marucs Bent and James McFadden. Bent used his pace to break through the Boro midfield before finding McFadden in acres of space on the left, McFadden then played a very good first time ball to James Beattie who saw his effort cannon off the bar. Boro then nearly snatched a point right at the death after Frank Quedrue saw his header hit the top of the bar and go over, much to the relief of almost everyone inside Goodison.

This win took Everton out of the bottom 3 with a game in hand. It is now seven points out of nine with West Brom up next. There is still a lot of work to be done to get out of this situation but with James Beattie finding fitness and form and Andy van der Meyde sparkling after only a couple of games, things are definatly looking up for David Moyes and Everton.