Osman wonder goal floors Hammers
Osman scored his first goal of the season to give Everton only their second win in seven games
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Sunday, 03, Dec 2006 06:47
A breathtaking strike from Leon Osman helped Everton to a 2-0 win over West Ham at Goodison Park.
The pint-sized midfielder fired a pinpoint volley into the top corner at the start of the second-half, with substitute James Vaughan sealing victory in injury time.
Alan Pardew's side remain without an away win this season, despite a lively display from Carlos Tevez.
David Moyes welcomed back Andy Johnson into the side while the impressive Andy van Der Meyde made his first start of the season.
Hammers boss Pardew chose James Collins to play in central defence while Tevez partnered Bobby Zamora up-front, a week after walking out on the club after being substituted.
The visitors started the brighter and should have taken the lead on 18 minutes.
Tevez's mazy run and cross found Lee Bowyer, whose strike from ten yards was well saved by goalkeeper Tim Howard.
Hammers shot-stopper Robert Green then produced a stunning save ten minutes later to tip Johnson's effort around the post after Anton Ferdinand failed to clear.
A minute later, Tevez fired a shot from the edge of the area which was parried by Howard.
Everton improved as the half progressed and came close to breaking the deadlock when defender Joleon Lescott failed to convert after a corner went through a crowd of players on 34 minutes.
West Ham nearly scored in their first chance of the second half with Zamora curling his shot over the bar after Johnson's careless pass was intercepted by Tevez.
Four minutes later, the hosts punished Zamora's miss when Beattie's cross was chested by Osman before lashing it past Green on his 100th appearance for the club.
Bowyer lost his temper on 68 minutes and was booked for a crunching tackle on McFadden 30 yards from goal.
Pardew hauled off Bowyer and Zamora a minute later and brought on strikers Teddy Sheringham and Marlon Harewood in search of a point.
Harewood forced Howard into a good save on 77 minutes with the American parrying his shot at the near post.
Twenty minutes after coming on, Vaughan sealed the win in the third minute of stoppage time after whacking his low shot past Green from Johnson's pass.
The result sees the Merseyside club move up to seventh while the Hammers remain in 17th place.