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  • Date: 2008-08-23
  • Kick-off: 15:00
  • Attendance: 26190
  • Referee: Styles, R

Live Commentary

90mins

FULL-TIME: WEST BROM 1-2 EVERTON

90mins

Everton have hung on for a victory, which looked very unlikely for long periods. West Brom will bemoan mistakes at the back and were made to pay.

89mins

Roman Bednar scores from the penalty spot to give the Baggies some hope after Phil Neville is adjudged to have handled.

87mins

Give some credit to West Brom, they refuse to give up the ghost but it looks like they will fall to a second consecutive defeat.

86mins

Yakubu makes way after another goal for him, with David Moyes bringing on defender Nuno Valente.

85mins

David Moyes will be delighted, his side haven't played well but they have battled away and now seem certain to take the points - their first of the season.

83mins

Another effort from outside the area by the Baggies, this time Brunt's 20-yard strike fizzes over the crossbar.

80mins

A third and final change from the Baggies, with Ishmael Miller making way and being replaced by Craig Beattie.

76mins

A long ball from Lescott causes confusion at the back between Carson and Meite, Yakubu nips in and heads home his 100th Premier League goal.

71mins

Another tactical change from Mowbray, with Sherjill MacDonald coming on and replacing Do-heon Kim.

71mins

Ohh.....James Morrison almost equalises. The former Middlesbrough man sees his shot from six yards blocked brilliantly by Baines.

70mins

Tony Mowbray makes his first change, with Robert Koren replaced by Roman Bednar.

70mins

West Brom have responded well to going behind and are penning Everton back in their own half, but the visitors are standing firm.

67mins

The third West Brom player goes into the book, as Brunt is cautioned following a foul on Mikel Arteta.

65mins

Everton have broken the deadlock against the run of play. A mistake from Leon Barnett, as the defender gives the ball away and Arteta makes him pay. He plays in Osman, who calmly beats Carson.

62mins

Everton feel they have taken the lead, but Rob Styles denies them the opener. Jack Rodwell heads into the net from a corner, but the youngster is said to have fouled Robinson.

60mins

The Baggies are on top here and will feel the three points are there for the taking. Zuiverloon is the latest player to try his luck, but his shot is blocked well by the hard-working Osman.

58mins

Teenager Baxter has run himself into the ground and is now coming off, with David Moyes replacing the youngster with James Vaughan.

56mins

West Brom win a corner and Brunt swings in the dead ball, but Yobo rises highest in a crowded penalty area to header away at the back post.

53mins

Miller is causing problems again for the Everton backline, he breaks away and tries to lob Howard and gets it wrong and the keeper saves again.

50mins

The Baggies are on top in the early stages of this second half. Miller turns and shoots from the edge of the area, but Howard gathers.

47mins

Yakubu is just one goal away from his 100th Premiership goal, but has not had any chances yet to reach three figures.

45mins

The second half is underway and no changes from either manager, who are looking for inspiration from someone.

45mins

It's goalless at the break and it's going to take a big improvement from both teams if they are going to break the deadlock.

44mins

Zuiverloon follows Meite into the book after complaining too much to Rob Styles about the award of a free-kick.

44mins

Meite goes into the book after a rash challenge on Osman.

43mins

West Brom have looked the more likely to score in this first half but Everton's youngsters have made it tough for the home side and are working hard to stop the Baggies playing.

41mins

Gianni Zuiverloon swings in a lovely cross from the right-hand side but Miller got underneath it at the back post and a decent chance goes begging for the Baggies.

38mins

The first yellow card of the afternoon, as Rob Styles cautions Leon Osman for a foul on Koren.

35mins

I think David Moyes will be the happier of the two managers so far, Everton have dealt well with all that West Brom have thrown at them.

33mins

Another long-range effort from the Baggies, this time from Brunt. The former Sheffield Wednesday man fires a left-foot shot just over the bar.

30mins

West Brom's latest signing, Spaniard Borja Valero, has been spotted in the stand watching on but won't be too impressed with what he has seen.

28mins

Everton are coming more into the game, keeping a bit of possession but are still struggling to create much in the final third.

25mins

Ishmael Miller looked impressive at Arsenal last weekend and the big striker is proving a handful for Joleon Lescott and Joseph Yobo. The striker wins a free-kick for a foul by Yobo, but the set-piece is blazed over by Chris Brunt.

23mins

A rare opening for Everton, as 16-year-old Jose Baxter tries his luck from 20-yards but his left-foot shot is comfortable for Scott Carson.

20mins

James Morrison and Paul Robinson combine well down the left, the latter heads back across goal from the byline but nobody is there in a striped shirt to convert.

17mins

Almost jinxed Everton there as just after I say they are doing well, Robert Koren shoots from the edge of the area and Tim Howard pushes it round the post.

15mins

West Brom have enjoyed most of the possesion, but credit to a young Everton side who are working hard to frusrate the Baggies.

12mins

It's quite a tight affair so far. West Brom are seeing plenty of the ball in midfield, but Everton are closing down well when the home side get into the final third.

9mins

The home side win a 25-yard free kick, Kim goes for goal but his effort drifts over the bar.

6mins

Leon Osman finds himself in space, surging towards the West Brom back four but is blocked off once he gets into the area.

4mins

The youngsters are working hard for the visitors, trying not to allow Tony Mowbray's side the chance to knock the ball around.

2mins

An earlier corner for the Baggies, Kim Do-Heon swings in the ball but Everton are able to clear. Abdoulaye Meite has a strike with the follow-up, but it goes wide.

0mins

We're underway at the Hawthorns and West Brom in their first home game of the season are on the attack from the off.

0mins

The Premier League returns to The Hawthorns today with both sides looking to get their campaigns off the ground. The Baggies lost away to Arsenal while the Toffeemen succumbed to Blackburn at home.

Match Report

Everton grabbed their first points of the season with two superb second-half strikes to sink promoted West Bromwich Albion.

But before they got off the mark, it was Albion who held the attacking reins and they guaranteed a nail-biting finish with a late penalty.

West Brom fired in a string of shots in the one-sided first half with keeper Tim Howard making two fine stops to deny striker Ishmael Miller.

But Everton were a different proposition after a half-time roasting from David Moyes and they finally began to probe the Albion defence for cracks.

They had a goal disallowed in the 64th minute when Jack Rodwell found the target with a powerful header only for referee Rob Styles to rule he was guilty of pushing.

But they kept their heads high and took the lead just 60 seconds later with a cracking drive from Leon Osman.

Mikel Arteta engineered the move as he beat his man to slide a perfect pass to Osman and he gave keeper Scott Carson no chance with his well placed angled shot.

Everton stretched their lead in the 76th minute when defender Joleon Lescott thumped a long ball through the middle to find striker Ayegbeni Yakubu.

He shrugged off a weak challenge from Abdoulaye Meite to head the ball over the advancing Carson and into the back of the empty net.

Tony Mowbray's men were down but they continued to battle and they should have reduced the arrears in the 86th minute when Roman Bednar gained possession just ten yards out.

Bednar twisted on the spot to fire in a shot but the ball flew wide of the far post when it looked easier to find the back of the net.

Bednar then got his name on the scoresheet in the 89th minute when Everton captain Phil Neville needlessly handled in the area.

Referee Styles immediately pointed to the spot and Bednar made no mistake with his penalty, but it was too late for Albion.

Moyes still has £20million in the pot to spend on new players before the transfer curtain comes down and he will need to make a plunge into the market after this smash-and-grab raid at The Hawthorns.

West Bromwich Albion

Everton

Corners

115

Fouls

1114

Goal attempts

159

Shots off target

102

Offsides

11

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