Toffees remain in European hunt after win over Rams
Leon Osman scored his first league goal since November
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Sunday, 06, Apr 2008 05:33
Everton kept their hopes of European football alive with a 1-0 win over Derby County at Goodison Park.
Leon Osman netted in the second half, a win which keeps the Toffees in fifth spot and three points behind fourth-placed Liverpool.
Stephen Pienaar and Tony Hibbert were sidelined but Andrew Johnson recovered from a groin injury for the home side, while the Rams were unchanged from the side that drew 2-2 with Fulham last Saturday.
In a pulsating opening, Derby's Dean Leacock almost headed into his own net while at the other end Mile Sterjovski's 20-yard strike was saved by Tim Howard.
Yakubu was guilty of missing a glorious chance for the Toffees on 17 minutes after somehow putting the ball wide from five yards out.
David Moyes' side continued to dominate with Mikel Arteta firing a free-kick inches over the bar five minutes before the break.
Goalkeeper Howard continued to impress in the second half when called upon, palming away David Jones' header on 47 minutes.
But the visitors continued to bombard the Rams' goal with Manuel Fernandes' venomous strike from 20 yards parried by Roy Carroll, with Yakubu scuffing the rebound wide.
Their possession was rewarded on 56 minutes when Fernandes played in Osman, who had time to pick his spot and rifle the ball in to make it 1-0.
Osman came agonisingly close to grabbing his second four minutes later with a low shot that ex-Manchester United keeper Carroll blocked.
Paul Jewell's strugglers should have equalised when Emmanuel Villa was sent clear but the striker, who netted twice against Fulham last week, shot weakly at Howard on 66 minutes.
The Rams were unable to salvage something in the closing minutes despite a series of corners, a defeat which keeps them rock-bottom on 11 points.
The record for the lowest Premier League points total is by Sunderland with 15 points.