Anichebe Sinks Osaze’s West Brom At Hawthorns Battle

Everton substitute Victor Anichebe scored his first Barclays Premier League goal of the season to earn his side victory against West Brom at the Hawthorns on New Year day.

Mirror Sports that Anichebe struck with three minutes remaining after Albion had failed to clear a cross from Tony Hibbert.

It earned the Toffees their fourth away win of the campaign and allowed them to leapfrog Albion in the table.

West Brom were forced to make two changes for the home Barclays Premier League clash with Everton.

Central defender Jonas Olsson (calf) and midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu (groin) were ruled out and replaced by Michael Dawson and James Morrison respectively.

Dawson was making his first start since the 3-0 defeat at Swansea in September while Morrison had recovered from a hamstring injury.

Everton boss David Moyes recalled fit again midfielder Jack Rodwell, after a three game absence with a hamstring injury, in place of Royston Drenthe.

Everton skipper Phil Neville propelled an early long throw into the Baggies box but it went straight into the hands of goalkeeper Ben Foster.

Jerome Thomas floated a deep cross into the Everton area but Nicky Shorey’s header lacked power and direction.

It was a quiet start to the game between two mid-table sides and Dawson, starting his first league match since September, easily dealt with a Leighton Baines free-kick.

Everton forward Louis Saha needed treatment after a knock to the head in a clash with Albion defender Gareth McAuley.

Thomas got on the end of a low ball into the danger area from Billy Jones but lost his footing.

Both sides were guilty of some wayward passing in the opening 15 minutes. Tim Cahill summed up proceedings by slicing his cross high and wide from a good position on the left.

It was 18 minutes before the first reasonable opportunity when Shane Long headed just over after getting on the receiving end of a deep centre from West Brom skipper Chris Brunt.

John Heitinga produced a fine tackle inside the Everton area to halt the run of Morrison.

Foster flapped at an overhead kick from Saha following a Leon Osman corner, but the former England keeper atoned for his error by rushing out to block the resulting shot from Rodwell.

Everton looked the more likely to break the deadlock and Shorey got in the way of a fierce drive from Baines after his initial corner was half-cleared.

Saha sent a half-volley just past the post after Albion failed to fully clear a Baines free-kick.

Everton defender Phil Jagielka then screwed a shot just wide from another Baines centre.

Albion looked short of attacking ideas and Heitinga blocked a long range attempt from Nigerian Peter Osaze Odemwingie.

Rodwell should have done better with a free header from a Baines corner but he directed it wide.

Cahill, without a domestic goal in 2011, received a kick to the head from Brunt after the two had clashed.

Distin produced a fine tackle to halt Thomas despite Albion fans appealing in vain for a penalty.

Albion showed more purpose at the start of the second period and Osaze missed a clear chance to put them ahead after 47 minutes.

The Nigerian international stayed onside in running onto a looping header forward from Morrison and got clear of the Everton rearguard.

But Osaze lacked composure and lifted his shot over the bar.

Jagielka did well to cut out a low Jones cross with Long waiting in space behind him to take advantage.

But play soon drifted back into mediocrity with the passing from both sides showing little improvement on the first 45 minutes.

Heitinga managed to nick the ball away from Osaze as he prepared to shoot inside the Everton area.

Moyes made his first change after 57 minutes with Rodwell replaced by Magaye Gueye whose first attempt on goal flew well wide.

Albion enjoyed a spell of possession and Morrison floated a pass over the Everton defence to Brunt, but Distin had read the move and was able to get back and block his shot.

Moyes made his second and third substitutions with Victor Anichebe and Denis Stracqualursi replacing Neville and Saha respectively after 65 minutes.

Foster saved a volley from Gueye at the foot of a post.

Brunt produced a fine tackle to halt Osman’s run and Morrison cut out a centre from Stracqualursi.

But the general play continued to be below par and Osaze sliced a cross high into the crowd when in space to the left of the Everton box.

Even Morrison, one of the few players to emerge with much credit, could not keep his volley down.