, Cahill, Stracqualursi (Vellios)
There is no better feeling than walking down the stairs out of the ground, when The Old Lady has been rocking, with three points in the bag - especially when it is against the Premiership leaders!
What a night it was last night. Once again the match report is late but it is allowed after a match like that which had every Toffee who was there buzzing and plenty who weren't there buzzing too, so it was off for copious Stella's followed by a few more when home to watch Football First.
It was fffffreezing last night, so with multiple layers on we headed off with expectations pretty low, we'd have taken a draw given we were up against the billionaires. Particularly following our last dreadful outing in the league against Rovers but of course the boys had progressed to the 5th Round of the FA Cup since then so maybe, just maybe we were in for a treat - we certainly were!
Moyesy sprung a couple of surprises. There were groans in some quarters when Hibbo was named at centre back ahead of young Duffers and surprise when Rolls Royston was named ahead of Maggie. Another surprise was Young Ross was fit again and back on the bench.
In the middle was the hapless Les Battersby look-a-like, Peter Walton, so we knew anything could happen.
There were gaps all over the stadium but given the night and the match being live on the luverly SKY then perhaps it was understandable. It may have been another crowd below 30k but they were certainly there to make themselves heard.
As you would expect playing against a team costing over £300m, Everton were up against it in terms of possession but what Sitteh do not have is team spirit. Mix team spirit with 100% effort and a vociferous crowd then you have a cocktail which is a match for the best.
In the first half we almost took the lead when The Count had a header cleared off the line by greedy bastard Lescott (the greedy bastard chants are acceptable lads but The Elephant Man chants are out of order). Count Stracula ran himself into the ground and put in another great shift before being subbed for Velli late on. Nasri hit the bar from 25 yards in the other chance of the first half with Tim well beaten; Aguero was flagged offside as he went for the rebound.
Just before the break so knob'ead ran onto the pitch and handcuffed himself to the Park End goalpost! Just when you thought you'd seen everything. Surrounded by Police, Stewards Players and St.John's Ambulance it looked like a huddle to keep warm. The prick was eventually released and led away to the cells, rightly so. If only they could have brought him back after the game and rehandcuffed him and left the tool there overnight. Apparently he is a lonely bloke, he said he was looking for Kompany!
So we went in at half time quietly pleased with a great 45 mins work. Hibbo and Johnny were magnificent at the centre of defence, Captain Phil was up for it as it was Sitteh although Bainsey was a bit subdued on the left. Gibbo was quite as were Leighton & Royston, Felli & Tim were everywhere and The Count was holding the ball up well and proving a nuisance.
HT 0-0
Half way down the stairs Kipper was with his bird thank God, this meant there was no talk of fuckin' hens and chickens! The talk was of a deserved if not surprising draw at the break.
Sitteh came out determined and once again took the game to us. The difference in the second half was that those who had been off there game in the first half, Gibbo, Bainsey, Landon and Royston stepped up to the mark. We defended like Trojans, none moreso the Hibbo and Johnny and all this was against Sitteh's whinging and moaning plus their bullying, they do not like it up them. One incident summed this up perfectly, Timmy tackled David Silva really getting stuck in, Silva turned away hopping and looked at Timmy as if to say, 'you can't do that?!' Brilliant.
Everton were holding their own against wave after wave of Sitteh possession, using the occasional break to hassle the visitors, up to the Count to hold it up and then lay off to Landon or Royston with Bainsey too getting forward more after the break.
On the hour we went ahead and The Old Lady went up! Felli broke down a Sitteh attack on the half way line as they moaned to the ref he slid it to Royston who fed Bainsey, Bainsey crossed The Count flicked on and his header was half cleared and fell to Landon. Landon controlled on the edge of the box, shaped to shoot then squared it to Gibbo who blasted it in from the edge of the box. Cue mayhem!
There was then another of those incidents which turn a game. With Everton ahead and Sitteh pressing for an equaliser they broke down the left with Kolarov, Landon persued, he chased, caught up, slid in and won a throw in as the ball clattered out off their defender. The place went up!
By now, every Toffee in the stadium was making every tackle, every clearance, every header and challenging every decision - fuckin' brilliant. If you were there last night then pat y'self on the back because YOU were part of that win.
The Count went off to a standing ovation and Jose came on for Royston. Four minutes were added and we saw them out with ease.
'It's a grand old team...' rang out and the Everton players deservedly milked the applause. Great night, fantastic, gritty performance and the perfect result . Sitteh for all their possession were sent home with a smacked arse.
FT 1-0
Great performances all round, Screech was everywhere, Timmy too ran himself to a standstill as did The Count. Gibbo got more into the game as it went on and scored a thunderbolt, Landon and Bainsey had a good second half as well. The stalwarts were Johnny and Hibbo at the centre of defence, they both stopped everything in their way and kept both Dzeko and Augero quiet. Blue Kipper Star Man goes to Hibbo, first game back and he was outstanding.
Back at home the handcuffs were brought out, what a night!
