Aston Villa 1 EVERTON 3 Match Report By The Blue Echo
A crazy 45 minute display from visitors Everton saw them explode with three goals from Pienaar, Fellaini and Jelavic without reply. Villa did manage to get one back in the second half after Tim Howard made a rare blunder failing to keep out El Ahmadi's long range effort. Villa pressed towards the end as Weimann hit a post with Bent's follow up effort blocked by Baines. To rub salt into the wounds Villa were also reduced to ten men after Ciaran Clark was shown the red card for a foul on Jelavic with 30 minutes left to play.
Gerard Houliier 2010, Alex McLeish 2011 and now Paul Lambert in 2012 get's his official welcoming from the Holte End as the Villains take on Everton.
Last weekend Villa went down to a defeat at newly promoted West Ham whilst David Moyes' XI took on Manchester United in front of a worldwide audience and won convincingly despite the lack of recognition from Sir Alex as Everton deserved their first three points of the new campaign.
David Moyes had a problem before the game as to whether to play new signing Kevin Mirallas from Greek outfit Olympiakos or stay with the same eleven that started the game on Monday night.
Everton started the game attacking the North stand wearing their new white kit with only one change from their last outing on Monday night.
Just under 3 minutes Everton went in front after playing some nice one touch football with Pienaar finding the ball, on the left of the box. His effort was crisply struck as Given was only left to grasp at thin air as the ball sailed into the top right hand corner. Jelavic should have doubled the visitors lead 60 seconds later but somehow screwed his effort past the post after Pienaar had found him.
Everton's early goal gave them plenty of confidence and were really on top with the home side finding it difficult to cause Everton's defence no problems.
Jelavic on two occasions sent two headers towards Given's goal without finding the target as Baines's crossing was precise.
Delfouneso managed to get a ball over into the box but Distin read the situation to dampen the threat.
Pienaar was involved with Everton's second goal on the half hour mark finding Jagielka on the right whose cross found the giant Fellaini repeating his party piece with another headed goal as Given seemed to fumble on the line to put Everton 2 up.
Darron Gibson foiled one time Everton target Charles N'Zogbia with some good defending before Everton put the game beyond Villa's reach as Baines cross found Jelavic who despatched his shot into the net and virtually end the contest.
Villa's Barry Bannan got the home sides first shot on target on the stroke of half time with Howard untroubled.
There were supportive chant's from the travelling Evertonians chanting vociferously Kevin Sheedy's name after the legend was diagnosed with bowel cancer this week.
HALF TIME ASTON VILLA 0 EVERTON 3
Half time saw the family entertainment begin as two giant balls were rolled onto the pitch being the only time a ball had been in the Villa half all game.
Everton entered the field for the second half with the same eleven as Villa made one change with Holman replacing Delfouneso.
Outstanding Pienaar carved out Everton's first chance in the second half for Jelavic who should have done better with his headed effort.
Everton were not as rampant as they were in the first half, Naismith was clattered by Baker but seemed to be okay after treatment as Villa tried to press a little with Bannan having a couple of shots blocked to try and restore some dented pride.
Trailing by three goals was bad enough for the home side then on the hour Villa were reduced to ten men as Michael Oliver gave a straight red to Clark for impeding Jelavic in the box. Jagielka took the free kick which was disappointing with a goal scoring chance a possibility.
Cries of "Ole" rang out from the Doug Ellis stand which the Evertonians occupied as Everton were controlling the contest with a very feeble effort from their opponents.
Despite conceding three goals Shay Given produced some outstanding goalkeeping to save further embarrassment as Pienaar and Baines linked up well with the South African having the final touch with Given responding effectively to claw the ball away. From the corner Distin hit the underside of the bar.
The moment arrived for the anxious Evertonians as new boy Mirallas replaced Gibson with 20 minutes remaining.
Coleman set up Mirallas inside the first minute of his debut to be denied by defender Ron Vlaar.
74 minutes Tim Howard was responsible for a howler as Morrocan El Ahmedi let fly from at least 30 yards to see his shot fumbled by the American.
Mirallas got the away fans from their seats when he managed to find the net only to be left deflated as the goal was ruled out.
As the game looked as good as over Austrian International Weimann hit a post only for Bent's follow up to be denied with a Baines block.
FULL TIME ASTON VILLA 1 EVERTON 3
Aston Villa: Given, Vlarr, Clark, El Ahmadi, Bent (C), N'Zogbia, Delfouneso(Holman 46), Bannan(Weimann 70), Herd, Baker(Lichaj 59), Lowton. Unused Subs Guzan (GK), Ireland, Delph. Burke
Everton: Howard, Baines, Gibson(Mirallas 70), Jagielka, Jelavic(Heitinga 87), Distin, Neville (C)Naismith(Coleman 64), Osman, Pienaar, Fellaini Unused Subs: Mucha(GK),Gueye, Barkley, Anichebe
