Everton 2, Burnley 0: James Vaughan banishes Blues stats spectre

29 December 2009 04:00
IT WAS a statistic which hovered hauntingly over Everton like the ghosts of 52 Christmases past.[LNB]Had the Blues failed to beat Burnley at Goodison, they would have equalled their worst ever home run since 1957 - going without a win for nine games[LNB]After so many positives during his reign, it is not the sort of entry in Everton's history books David Moyes would have wanted associated with his tenure.[LNB]Thankfully, that hovering spectre was banished by a ghost buster who has sometimes seemed destined to become a mere footnote in Everton's history himself.[LNB]James Vaughan became the youngest ever Everton goalscorer when he netted as a 16-year-old against Crystal Palace in 2005.[LNB]He has suffered endlessly since as injuries, injuries and more injuries have ravaged his young body.[LNB]Crucially though whenever he has fleetingly reappeared, his attitude has always been beyond reproach. Vaughan may well have had some dark nights of the soul when he doubted if he would ever fulfil his own promise, but he carries himself without a hint of self-pity.[LNB]Pleasingly for the Everton manager Vaughan's inner belief is in keeping with the rest of the squad.[LNB]The Toffees have taken more points from the last ten minutes of games than any other sides in the premier league this season, and their never-say-die spirit served them well against Owen Coyle's Burnley.[LNB]Much had been said beforehand about Everton's need to rediscover their killer instinct. Too often teams had been mauled to near-breaking point only then to be spared by consistently slack finishing.[LNB]They started against Burnley in a similar full-throttle vein as against Birmingham and Sunderland, dominating possession and passing neatly.[LNB]Yakubu was looking like he meant business in his last league game before he departs for the African Cup of Nations, and deserved a penalty when Michael Duff handled his shot in Burnley's box.[LNB]Howard Webb waved away Everton's protests and no doubt tested Moyes resolve before the game to stay cool in the face of official's blunders.[LNB]Everton then survived a scare against the run of play when Lucas Neill and Tim Howard suffered crossed wires, and the Aussie headed weakly under pressure to David Nugent.[LNB]Then Tim Cahill broke, carried the ball for 20 yards and slid in Pienaar whose cross was uncharacteristically poor.[LNB]Bilyaletdinov looked lively and linked up cutely with Osman moments after, only for the little midfielder to miss narrowly.[LNB]At the other end, Burnley suddenly threatened again; first forcing a corner and then Andre Bikey swivelled and fired a volley at Howard which was blocked, before Chris Eagles sent a stinging long range effort at the American.[LNB]But Everton were pouring forward at will and unsettling Burnley's back four. Lucas Neill charged forward and set up yet another chance for the Blues which went begging.[LNB]Then Bilyaletdinov nearly opened the scoring, firing low at Jensen before Baines broke into the box from a Yak flick on. The untaken chances were piling up ominously, and it seemed like a repeat of the home stalemate against Birmingham was on the cards.

Source: Liverpool_Echo