Moyes delighted with Kilbane performance

Everton boss David Moyes hailed the impact made by Kevin Kilbane just days after losing another influential midfielder in Thomas Gravesen.

If Moyes was looking for a player to fill the boots vacated by Gravesen in the wake of his surprise £2.45m (€3.5m) move to Real Madrid, then Kilbane picked up the gauntlet.

Republic of Ireland international Kilbane overshadowed Middlesbrough’s own left-wing inspiration in Stewart Downing with a performance that was full of drive, energy and quality crosses in yesterday’s 1-1 Barclays Premiership draw at the Riverside.

Kilbane may not have been the supplier of the ball that led to his side’s 76th-minute equaliser, but either side of that he did enough to deservedly earn the man-of-the-match award, and rightly take the plaudits from Moyes.

“Kevin was outstanding and he has been for Everton ever since he left these parts,” said Moyes of the former Sunderland player.

“I thought he was as good as the boy Downing can be for Middlesbrough. He was the same for us. He can play in the middle, and we toyed with that for this game, but we decided not to do so. Now and again we might play him in there.

“He did go into the middle of the park late in the game, and even then he burst through people. He just had a top game.”

It was the introduction of another key figure for the Toffees who effectively turned the game as Boro attempted to hold onto the lead afforded them by Bolo Zenden’s sixth goal of the season in the 25th minute.

Striker Duncan Ferguson, back in the squad after completing a three-match suspension, took to the Riverside pitch in the 74th minute as replacement for Joseph Yobo, and made an immediate impact.

Just two minutes later, Ferguson was left all alone at the far post as a Tony Hibbert cross came in and allowed to head down for Tim Cahill to side-foot the equaliser.

Soon after, Ferguson then sparked a 16-man melee in the Boro penalty area after going in on Mark Schwarzer after the Australia international had dropped a Lee Carsley corner.

The Football Association may take another look at the incident, but the imposing Scot was exonerated by Moyes and Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren.

“If there was an FA inquiry I would wonder why,” said Moyes.

“The ball was dropped by the goalkeeper and if I was a player I would definitely have gone for it, and I would have expected any of my players to go for it.

“I think the only reason there was a melee was because it was after a corner and it was in such a close, confined space. There were so many players in there defending and attacking the corner.”

McClaren felt what unfolded was merely an indication of the desire of both teams to win the match.

The Boro boss said: “I just thought it showed two sides who are both in the top six and you can see why they are there because of their spirit, attitude and togetherness.

“I said to the players that I thought it was a great show of togetherness and sticking up for one another when your team-mates are in trouble. You saw two sides like that. I have seen the replay and there was nothing in it. It was just one of those where they are backing each other up.

“It was a melee and these things happen in the game. Both teams reacted as you would expect them to react in that situation, by looking after their team-mates and sticking together.”

The result was enough to move fourth-placed Everton seven points clear of Merseyside rivals Liverpool in the chase for the final Champions League berth, with Boro a further point adrift.

But McClaren’s problems are mounting as Ugo Ehiogu damaged knee ligaments and limped out after just 17 minutes, while Michael Reiziger broke a toe.