Everton & Yakubu Too Good For West Ham (Part II)

West Ham 0 Everton 2
West Ham looked in control for most of the first half with Parker at the centre of everything. The Irons had three excellent opportunities to take the lead (Ljungberg, Ashton, Collins). Everton had been restricted to hardly any scoring opportunities but just before the half time whistle West Ham failed to clear their lines and Cahill was able to head a deep cross into the six yard area where Yakubu had an easy header from two yards to give Everton the lead.
In the second half Everton sat back and defended deep and West Ham, despite having most of the possession, had neither the composure nor the creativity to break the Toffee's down. In fact when Curbishley took off Solano it was difficult to see where West Ham were going to conjure a goal from. The goal did come for Everton in the dying seconds as a pumped clearance was misheaded by Upson and Johnson had a free run at the West ham goal. Green came out and Johnson lifted the ball over the keeper to wrap up the game for the visitors.

West Ham boss Alan Curbishley: "Where we were left wanting is that we needed to take that first chance - we had a glorious couple of chances and didn't take them.
"We've had two tight games with Everton but they've been closer than the scores suggest. I think Everton's first goal on the stroke of half-time was a blow.
"But the second half, we gave it our best shot but didn't have the quality to break them down."

West Ham: Green, Neill, Collins, Upson, McCartney, Solano (Noble 59), Parker, Mullins (Reid 79), Ljungberg, Ashton, Cole (Camara 46).
Subs Not Used: Wright, Spector.
Booked: Ljungberg.
Everton: Howard, Neville, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Arteta, Osman, Carsley, Pienaar, Cahill, Yakubu (Johnson 87).
Subs Not Used: Wessels, Hibbert, Gravesen, McFadden.
Booked: Yakubu, Johnson.
Goals: Yakubu 45, Johnson 90.
Att: 34,430
Ref: Steve Tanner (Somerset).