Season › 2013-14 › News

Everton sign off with comfortable victory at Hull

Hull City 0 - 2 Everton

Everton enjoyed something of an end-of-season party at the KC Stadium, recording a comfortable 2-0 win, their 21st of the campaign, that ensures that their record points haul of the Premier League extends to 72, the highest tally not to earn a place in the Champions League places so far.

The top four dream was already over — for this season at least — and fifth place was effectively guaranteed so Roberto Martinez's team were playing for little other than pride, those three extra points that would take them past the manager's 71-point target, and a win for their incredible away support which, once more, sold out the club's allocation and vocally showed their appreciation for what has been a hugely satisfying season.

Martinez named a strong starting XI, one from which England hopefuls Ross Barkley and John Stones were conspicuous absentees, and his team eased to victory on the back of a performance that exhibited so much of what the Spaniard has brought to Everton since arriving a little under a year ago.

Indeed, it was from a spell of the seemingly effortless possession football that has become a hallmark of Everton under Martinez that the Blues opened the scoring in only the ninth minute, Sylvain Distin collecting the ball off Gareth Barry inside his own half and finding Romelu Lukaku with an accurate pass in the final third of the field. The Belgian shrugged off his marker before rolling the ball inside to Steven Naismith who, in turn, slipped a pass behind the Hull defence to meet the forward run of James McCarthy, a player at whom the only criticism you could possibly level this season would be his lack of goals. His first-time shot proved too strong for Alan McGregor, though, and the ball looped off his glove and into the net to make it 1-0. A deserved goal for one of the players of the season.

It would not be the only time Everton carved open Steve Bruce's side and Naismith probably should have done better in the 21st minute when he was picked out by Barry's square pass in the area but side-footed wide. Later in the half, a powerful run by McCarthy down the right channel saw him beat his opponent to the ball for speed and desire but while Lukaku showed equal determination to get in front of his man to meet the cross, McGregor was able to save by his near post.

For the home side, Sone Aluko had drifted a shot over Tim Howard's crossbar, Jake Livermore had fired wide after an error by Aiden McGeady and Nikica Jelavic had fired a free kick into the defensive wall but, in truth, they posed little threat to Everton's solid back line which had a familiar look about it with the return alongside Phil Jagielka of Sylvain Distin.

Any doubts about the result were probably erased within a minute of the resumption of play after half time and it was another terrific goal by the visitors, fashioned in the end by a defence-splitting ball by Leon Osman, the 16th pass of a move that started with Tim Howard after Paul McShane's punt forward had ended up with the American in the Blues' area. Lukaku glided past McShane to meet the pass and stepped inside the centre himself in front of goal before burying a shot past the stranded goalkeeper.

From then on it was mostly exhibition fare from both teams as the travelling fans ran through their repertiore of chants, including some mockery of Liverpool letting the title slip as Manchester City cantered to victory and the title in Manchester. McGeady's mesmerisingly quick feet engineered space for a shot in the 58th minute but his effort was tame in the end while Seamus Coleman finished another lung-busting run by McCarthy by blazing into the stands from 25 yards.

Hull, who prior to today hadn't lost to the Blues at home since 1953, enjoyed a spell of pressure in the last 20 minutes but were largely restricted to shots from distance, one powerful effort from Liam Rosenior that Howard did well to gather at the second attempt and another from Robert Koren that the 'keeper turned behind superbly with a one-handed save. Curtis Davies also flashed a late header past the post that came very close to ruining Howard's clean sheet.

Prior to that, Gerard Deulofeu replaced McGeady, Steven Pienaar made a welcome return in place of Osman and Lukaku was given an ovation by the away fans when he came off, possibly for the last time in an Everton jersey, a couple of minutes from the end of give Lacina Traore a run-out.

All in all, a great way to sign off an impressive season with Everton finishing fifth to secure a place in the Europa League next season along with Tottenham, three points below in sixth, and Hull who will be in Europe irrespective of how they fare in next weekend's FA Cup Final. That match will bring final resolution to the Blues' season as the result will determine at which phase of the competition they kick off their Europa League campaign — a win for Arsenal would put Everton straight into the group stage.

Full coverage: ToffeeWeb Match Reports

• Match summary and discussion
• Ken Buckley: From My Seat

---

---

---

About these ads