Source: Liverpool_Echo
Birmingham City 2, Everton FC 2: Blues let two-goal lead slip against fellow Euro hopefuls
Sylvain Distin in action at Birmingham 300[LNB]EVERTON were held to a draw by fellow European hopefuls Birmingham despite racing to a two-goal lead.[LNB]The Toffees capitalised on a slow start by the home side to open the scoring through a fine individual goal by Victor Anichebe.[LNB]Then David Moyes's side looked to have settled the affair in the 22nd minute when Yakubu nodded in Steven Pienaar's lobbed pass from close range.[LNB]But Cameron Jerome quickly restored Birmingham's interest when he swivelled to turn in a Keith Fahey centre.[LNB]And Craig Gardner completed a route-one move just after the break to level with a first time shot which beat Howard.[LNB]While the shared spoils was a fair result, Moyes will rue the missed opportunity to leap-frog the Midlanders in the table and further press Everton's dwindling Europa League ambitions.[LNB]But while it was the second time in three months that the sides have cancelled each other out in league combat, a game of rising drama was a far cry from December's 1-1 draw.[LNB]Again, Birmingham recovered from a lively Everton start to take a share of the spoils from a tussle that at one stage was threatening to get away from them.[LNB]A quiet opening spell offered little hint of the drama to follow, but with the end of the first quarter approaching a glut of three goals in seven explosive minutes followed.[LNB]Everton's superior midfield began to tell, as they probed along the right through Phil Neville.
