Everton make it five in a row

Blackburn 0 Everton 1

Everton reinforced their position as the in-form side in the Premiership with a victory built on sound tactics and hard work.

The refrain ‘1-0 to the Everton’ will surely soon become a crowd favourite at Goodison Park as David Moyes’ side were once again victorious by their customary scoreline.

Kevin Campbell’s first-half goal and some demon-like defending ensured their fifth league victory in a row – and their fourth consecutive 1-0 win – as the Merseysiders looked good value for their fourth spot in the Premiership.

Blackburn paid the price for over-elaboration, passing up good shooting opportunities and never working out how to get past Everton’s awesome Nigerian central defender Joseph Yobo.

It meant more misery for Rovers boss Graeme Souness after the dismal display in the midweek UEFA Cup defeat at the hands of Celtic. The Scot had dropped Dwight Yorke to the bench in the hope of finding a cutting edge, but his replacement Egil Ostenstad looked a blunt instrument.

The home side did create problems as both teams went for it straight from the kick-off. Tony Hibbert was caught dallying on the ball, Damien Duff’s pass inside the defender set Ostenstad on his way and Everton were grateful that Yobo was able to cut out his cross.

The visitors’ immediate reply was even more threatening. Lee Carsley’s cross from the right picked out Tomasz Radzinski but the in-form Canadian international was unable to do more than guide it into Brad Friedel’s arms.

The chances continued as David Dunn’s ball through the middle saw Andy Cole beat for Alan Stubbs for pace only for Richard Wright to pull off an excellent sliding block.

Friedel, due to go under the knife for a knee cartilage operation within hours of the final whistle, matched his opposite number at the other end when careless play saw Campbell send Radzinski through to force a diving save from the American keeper.

Dunn volleyed sky-high, Thomas Gravesen was wide from 20 yards then David Thompson struck the side-netting after a twisting run had left David Unsworth in knots.

Nineteen minutes into the contest the breakthrough finally came as Everton were the beneficiaries of some dreadfully slack marking by the home side.

Carsley’s cross should have been dealt with but Campbell found himself alone with the ball between the centre-backs Nils-Eric Johansson and Craig Short and the Everton captain made no mistake, firing low into the corner.

Blackburn embarked on a sustained campaign for an equaliser which was nearly rewarded when Thompson evaded Li Tie to scamper down the right. He put in a cross which looked perilous for Everton but the ball was just flicked away from the leaping Ostenstad.

Four minutes before half-time only Friedel’s instinctive save prevented Everton taking a two-goal lead when Campbell met Naysmith’s corner with a powerful header.

Blackburn came out for the second half no doubt with the harsh words of Souness ringing in their ears, and the home side did put Everton on the back-foot.

Dunn powered through the Everton midfield defences before unleashing a shot from 20 yards but Yobo’s block kept the visitors in front.

Everton looked content to defend in depth for the last half-hour, a potentially risky tactic, and it took another perfectly-timed tackle by Yobo halted Ostenstad in full flight.

Tugay struck a first-time shot, after being picked out by Duff’s corner, a yard too high then Cole sliced his effort embarrassingly after linking with Ostenstad.

The travelling Everton fans got their wish when Wayne Rooney came on for Naysmith for the last nine minutes, but Blackburn almost immediately equalised when Thompson’s shot bounced narrowly wide.

There were a couple of runs to savour from ‘Roonaldo’ but Blackburn just did enough to block him out.

In stoppage time Thompson and Cole both looked certain to grab a last-gasp equaliser but first Unsworth and then Wright threw their bodies in the way to secure victory.