Everton claimed their first league win in five attempts with a hard-fought 2-1 success at West Ham.
Saha and Gosling score for Toffees, Hammers reply through Hibbert own goal
Everton claimed their first league win in five attempts with a hard-fought 2-1 success at West Ham.
Louis Saha put the Toffees ahead in the 27th minute with a fantastic low effort into the corner from the edge of the box after being teed-up by Tim Cahill.
Dan Gosling then doubled the advantage on 64 minutes when slotting home from the rebound after Robert Green had saved his original effort.
But West Ham pulled a goal back a minute later when Tony Hibbert put the ball in his own net as he attempted to keep out Junior Stanislas' goal-bound shot.
The defeat - coupled with Hull's earlier victory over Stoke - dumps Gianfranco Zola's side back in the drop zone.
West Ham's England Under-21 forward Zavon Hines was handed a start for the injured Carlton Cole, having netted a dramatic last-minute winner against Aston Villa in midweek.
The youngster again looked lively, bursting into the left side of the penalty area, before going down under a shoulder charge from Hibbert, as referee Alan Wiley waved away the half-hearted appeals for a spot-kick.
Everton deployed five in midfield and were content to let West Ham have plenty of the ball, waiting patiently for their chance.
However, Zola's men continued to look dangerous, as Julien Faubert flashed a low cross through the six-yard box following a sweeping passing move.
Hines again caused a threat down the left side, and Scott Parker almost capitalised when he got past Joseph Yobo, but then shot straight at Tim Howard.
The Everton defender redeemed himself when coming across to cut out Parker's through ball, which would have sent Hines clear.
Saha opener
Then, out of nothing, Everton took the lead on 27 minutes.
Cahill battled to hold the ball up on the edge of the West Ham box, before laying it back to Saha.
The French striker, 20 yards out, needed no second invitation - and drilled his first-time shot low into Howard's bottom right corner.
The goal was against the run of play, and left Upton Park in stunned silence - apart from the band of travelling Everton supporters on the far side.
West Ham, who battled back from 2-0 down to draw with Arsenal at Upton Park last month, immediately looked to get on the offensive again.
Everton, though, had much more composure now, with Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini coming into the game.
Saha headed a corner wide as Everton came close to doubling their lead before the interval.
The home side had more impetus at the start of the second half, Junior Stanislas having replaced Jack Collison.
A sweeping long ball forward from Manuel Da Costa almost fell for Luis Jimenez in the Everton box, but he was crowded out.
Diamanti on
The Chilean was then replaced by Alessandro Diamanti, who helped turn the game against Arsenal.
Everton also made a change on 57 minutes when Ayegbeni Yakubu came on for Saha, who appeared to be troubled by his calf.
Stanislas then flashed a low drive just wide from 20 yards before Everton snatched a second on the break after 64 minutes.
Cahill and Yakubu battled for possession at the edge of the penalty area, before the substitute pushed the ball out to Gosling on the overlap down the right.
His first shot was blocked by Green, but the ball fell straight back to the Everton winger, who this time drilled it into the net.
West Ham, though, hit back moments later.
Diamanti sent a deep pass over the Everton defence, on to which Stanislas ran.
The West Ham forward then clipped his shot past the advancing Howard, but the ball did not appear to have enough pace to roll over the line and Hibbert looked set to hack clear - only for the defender to boot the ball into his own net as Upton Park erupted.
The West Ham faithful sensed an equaliser, with Diamanti curling a 20-yard effort just over before Hines stabbed wide after getting ahead of Yobo.
Yobo then impeded Hines as the West Ham striker ran on goal and received a booking, with Howard saving Diamanti's effort from the resulting free-kick.
Everton then survived a couple of scrambles in the six-yard box as the Hammers were denied a second successive dramatic finale.
| West Ham United |
Team Statistics |
Everton |
| 1 |
Goals |
2 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 3 |
Shots on Target |
5 |
| 12 |
Shots off Target |
4 |
| 5 |
Blocked Shots |
2 |
| 5 |
Corners |
4 |
| 13 |
Fouls |
19 |
| 2 |
Offsides |
0 |
| 0 |
Yellow Cards |
5 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 78.5 |
Passing Success |
71.1 |
| 30 |
Tackles |
31 |
| 73.3 |
Tackles Success |
67.7 |
| 59.1 |
Possession |
40.9 |
| 54.5 |
Territorial Advantage |
45.5 |
|
