Everton winning run continues

Blackburn 0 Everton 2

Everton continued their climb away from the Premiership relegation zone with their fourth win in five matches against 10-man Blackburn.

First-half goals from James McFadden and Mikel Arteta sandwiched the dismissal of Rovers captain Andy Todd to end the home side’s five-game winning run in all competitions at Ewood Park.

Unlike on Wednesday, when Rovers fought from 2-0 down to snatch a 3-2 Carling Cup win at Charlton, there was no epic comeback from manager Mark Hughes’ side on this occasion.

Instead, for the first time in 21 games and since May 7, David Moyes watched his team win a match by a two-goal margin.

Yet after the opening 15 minutes there appeared little danger Rovers would find themselves those two goals adrift at the interval.

Blackburn had comfortably controlled proceedings, with their speed of passing and movement causing the backpedalling visitors problems.

Hughes’ side should have found themselves at least one goal up before all their problems unfolded, notably in the third minute.

Everton were torn apart down the right wing, with David Thompson – starting his first match this season after a knee injury – playing a one-two with David Bentley.

That allowed the former Everton fan to deliver a low ball into the area Steven Reid dummied, opening the way for Morten Gamst Pedersen, only for the normally deadly Norwegian to rifle wide from six yards.

Pedersen came within inches of making amends six minutes later as a swift counter attack culminated in striker Craig Bellamy feeding the overlapping left winger inside the area.

A delicate chip followed that beat goalkeeper Nigel Martyn, only for the ball to hit the right-hand post, with the ricochet also eluding the fast-arriving Thompson.

But Everton, playing their 4,000th game of top-flight football, managed to weather the early storm and instead seized the initiative.

From virtually nothing they grabbed the opener in the 28th minute, with McFadden nodding home his first goal of the season, and his first in the Premiership since January 1.

A long, raking ball from left-back Phil Neville was flicked on twice before McFadden beat covering defender Michael Gray to head home past a stranded Brad Friedel.

Rovers’ hopes of then staging a comeback received a vital blow three minutes later when was sent off for handball, but more pertinently as he was the last defender.

In attempting to fend off the challenge of James Beattie, the ball bounced off the turf and hit Todd on the hand.

Referee Mark Halsey was forced to consult with one of his assistants before giving the centre back his marching orders.

In the furore that followed, with Blackburn players furious at the decision - and with the suggestion objects were thrown at the linesman from Rovers fans standing behind the official – Bellamy was cautioned for dissent.

It could have been worse for Hughes’ side as Arteta proceeded to shave the left-hand post with a superb, curling 20-yard free-kick following the initial infringement.

But on the stroke of half time Everton did manage to double their advantage, with Halsey correctly waving play on after Tugay had initially felled Beattie.

That allowed Osman to surge towards goal, eventually teeing up Arteta for a stunning first-time curler into the top left-hand corner from 18 yards for his first of the campaign.

Undaunted by the scoreline, it was 10-man Rovers who proceeded to throw caution to the wind after the break, and they should have been rewarded for their endeavour.

Pedersen missed another sitter two minutes into the half, this time heading inches wide from an unmarked position eight yards from goal after Lucas Neill had delivered a precision ball to the far post.

Two minutes later Richard Wright, who had taken over in goal from Martyn at the break due to the veteran sustainin a groin strain, gifted Blackburn another golden chance.

Wright dropped a curling cross on his own six-yard line, and in the scramble that followed Ryan Nelsen hooked the ball inches wide.

Steven Reid then almost stabbed home a low curling shot from Bentley, while Tugay met a Pedersen corner with a searing right-foot volley from 22 yards that shaved the angle of bar and post.

That was as close as Rovers came, though, to pulling a goal back as they ultimately ran out of steam and ideas.