Everton 1 Bolton Wanderers 1:JERMAINE BECKFORD extended Everton's unbeaten record to seven games with his first league goal for the club after Ivan Klasnic's tap-in and a late red card for Marouane Fellaini had looked to have ruined David Moyes' evening.
Fellaini was deservedly dismissed for kicking out at Paul Robinson, having been fouled by the left-back, with five minutes remaining. The task was already problematic for Everton after Phil Jagielka had been dispossessed by Stuart Holden moments earlier and Klasnic bundled over Matt Taylor’s exquisite cross at the far post.
Surprisingly, Séamus Coleman and Yakubu Ayegbeni lost their places to Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Louis Saha.
Everton were pretty in their approach and low on penetration. Bolton, by contrast, saw less of the ball and were straightforward with it, causing more problems in the early stages.
Davies had already unsettled Jagielka when Johan Elmander spun away from the defender on the edge of the area only for Sylvain Distin to block the shot with a flying interception. The Everton defence were stretched again when Gretar Steinsson headed Taylor’s corner back across goal and Elmander glanced wide.
Everton were reluctant or unable to prosper even when opportunities arose, which they did increasingly as the half wore on. Mikel Arteta declined to shoot when Bolton’s central defence parted, Bilyaletdinov confirmed you do only get a left foot for €12 million when he checked back into the defence when free on the right, and Fellaini volleyed well over from an Arteta corner.
Saha, however, did show greater menace after a subdued start and was denied twice on the goal-line following corners from Arteta; once when Jussi Jaaskelainen spilled Phil Neville’s chip but recovered to block the follow-up and seconds later when Lee Chung-yong cleared a glancing header to the far post.
The contest opened up after the interval. Elmander and Fabrice Muamba went close and Stuart Holden thought he had given the visitors the lead when he met Taylor’s corner with a powerful header. He was deflated by an outstanding save from Tim Howard.
With the tempo and the crowd rising at last, Everton again responded. Bilyaletdinov tested Jaaskelainen from distance and Gary Cahill struck lucky when he deflected Leighton Baines’ dangerous cross over his crossbar.
Only seconds remained, however, when Beckford collected Baines’s pass on the left of the area and curled a fine finish over the goalkeeper.
Guardian Service
EVERTON:Howard, Neville (Yakubu 81), Distin, Jagielka, Baines, Bilyaletdinov (Coleman 66), Fellaini, Cahill, Arteta, Pienaar, Saha (Beckford 81). Subs not used: Mucha, Hibbert, Rodwell, Baxter.
BOLTON WANDERERS:Jaaskelainen, Steinsson (Ricketts 59), Knight, Cahill, Robinson, Lee, Muamba, Holden, Taylor, Kevin Davies, Elmander (Klasnic 61). Subs not used: Bogdan, Petrov, Mark Davies, Moreno, Blake. Booked: Steinsson, Knight.
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
Attendance: 31,808
