Anichebe eclipses Keane to earn Everton point

14 January 2012 17:46

An equaliser from substitute Victor Anichebe earned Everton a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa on Saturday that brought the hosts' run of four consecutive home defeats to an end.

The away side enjoyed the better of the first half at Villa Park but required Anichebe's intervention to claim a share of the spoils after Darren Bent had put the hosts in front in the 56th minute.

The result preserved the one-point gap between the teams in the league table and took both sides up a place. Everton ended the day in 10th and Villa in 12th.

Both sides had new Irish players in their ranks, with Darron Gibson starting in the Everton midfield following his move from Manchester United and Robbie Keane named on the Villa bench after signing on loan from Los Angeles Galaxy.

Shay Given -- another Irishman -- made his return in the Villa goal after six weeks out with a hamstring injury, but his opposite number, Tim Howard, was the first goalkeeper to be tested as he repelled a free-kick from Stiliyan Petrov.

Given was soon called into action though, as Everton took control of the first half, and the former Manchester City man had to produce a superb low save after Louis Saha powerfully headed Leighton Baines' free-kick towards goal.

After Saha narrowly failed to connect with a cross from Keane's LA Galaxy team-mate Landon Donovan, Given displayed marvellous reflexes to prevent Stephen Warnock from diverting the ball into his own goal.

The visitors were dominant, but Alex McLeish's side ended the half with a flourish.

Bent got up well to meet Warnock's cross but could not keep his header down, while Howard had to touch a Gabriel Agbonlahor shot around the post after a purposeful run from the Villa forward.

Everton quickly put the hosts on the back foot in the second half and again a Baines set-piece was the source of their discomfort, with Marouane Fellaini's header parried in unorthodox fashion by Given.

However, it was Villa who took the lead, against the run of play, when Bent took Stephen Ireland's pass and swivelled to finish from close range.

The England striker almost doubled his side's advantage moments later, but Howard was equal to his header.

In his push for an equaliser, Everton coach David Moyes introduced Anichebe from the bench and it took the Nigeria forward less than 10 minutes to find the target.

Donovan released the 23-year-old with a finely weighted through-ball and he calmly slipped the ball past Given to claim a second decisive goal in a fortnight following his late winner at West Bromwich Albion on New Year's Day.

McLeish responded by introducing Keane but despite late pressure on Everton's penalty area, the well-travelled 31-year-old could not mark his 10th club debut with a goal.

Source: AFP