Midfielder Cahill back with a bang as Everton sink Stoke
Tim Cahill scored with just 13 minutes remaining.
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Sunday, 14, Sep 2008 09:08
Tim Cahill struck the winner in his first game for six months as Everton beat Stoke City 3-2 at the Brittania Stadium.
The Australian, who broke a bone in his foot in March, scored with a header after the Toffees had squandered a two-goal lead.
Goals from Yakubu and Victor Anichebe gave them a comfortable lead before they were pegged back by Seyi Olofinjana and Phil Jagielka's own goal.
It was the home side who made the brighter start with Ricardo Fuller testing Tim Howard with a shot from a tight angle while Dave Kitson hammered a shot across goal.
But it was David Moyes side who took the lead on 41 minutes with a clinical finish from Yakubu. The Nigerian striker switched the ball onto his left foot and slotted the ball into the corner.
Everton moved into a 2-0 lead just minutes into the second half when Anichebe, making his first start of the season, headed in Mikel Arteta's free-kick at the near post.
But the Merseysiders' lead lasted just four minutes when Howard's punch fell to Olofinjana who whacked a volley into the top corner.
The goal sparked Stoke into action with Fuller having a goal harshly disallowed minutes later for a foul on Yobo.
And the Premier League new boys leveled the scores when another long-range throw-in from Rory Delap was headed into his own net by Jagielka.
The game then plunged into controversy on 72 minutes when Leon Cort appeared to have handled the ball in the area.
Referee Alan Wiley blew his whistle but after talking with his linesman awarded Everton a free-kick on the edge of the box, with a furious Moyes sent to the stands for protesting.
Moyes' mood vastly improved five minutes later when Cahill thundered a bullet header from Arteta's corner.
Stoke went agonisingly close to leveling matters again in the closing stages with Sonko volleying into the side-netting while Fuller lashed a shot over the bar as Everton clung on.
The win for the Toffees moves them into tenth spot while Tony Pulis' men slip to 19th place.