Premiership: Everton ensure their survival

Everton 3 Bolton 1

Everton beat Bolton 3-1 to virtually ensure their survival in the Premiership - and they had to play almost 70 minutes without Duncan Ferguson.

Ferguson was given his marching orders for an off-the-ball punch at Fredi Bobic.

Bolton's Kostas Konstantinidis was also sent off for two quick bookable offences before Alessandro Pistone scored his first goal of the season from 25 yards after 41 minutes.

Everton seemed to have secured the points in the 57th minute when Tomasz Radzinski got on the end of Scot Gemmill's right-wing cross and squirmed his shot under defender Paul Warhurst.

But their failure to convert any of the numerous chances for a third goal left them living on their nerves when Bolton got a goal back through Bruno N'Gotty's point-blank header with 14 minutes to go.

Only substitute Nick Chadwick's goal five minutes from time after a rash misjudgement from Bolton keeper Kevin Poole finally allowed Everton to settle down.

Ferguson's dismissal as Pistone prepared to take a left-wing free-kick threatened to upset the pattern of the match.

But after Bobic had shot tamely at Steve Simonsen in Bolton's first chance, Konstantinidis made it 10 men on both sides after a rash challenge on Radzinski moments after incurring his first booking.

Referee Steve Bennett denied Everton another penalty appeal when Alexandersson appeared to be pushed by Bobic as he tried to get his head to Unsworth's free-kick.

And as the visitors pressed Everton launched a number of counter-attacks. In the 76th minute Radzinski crossed from the left only for Chadwick to shoot straight at Poole.

Five minutes from time Chadwick sealed the win when Poole raced inexplicably from his goal and was dispossessed by Radzinski, who turned Mike Whitlow and squared for the substitute to sweep home the simplest of chances.