Leighton Baines scored a dramatic late penalty as Everton came from behind to beat Wolves and secure only their second home win of the season.
The left back had already set up Phil Jagielka’s equaliser curling in a wonderful free kick for the Toffees skipper to head home after Stephen Hunt had given Mick McCarthy’s men a first half lead with a penalty of their own. It was then left to Baines to decide the game and he made no mistake cooly slotting home from the spot with just seven minutes left on the clock. It will come as a welcome relief to manager David Moyes who has seen his side slip to 17th after a run of one win in six Premier League games. For Wolves they will feel that the decision by referee Jon Moss to award a penalty for Steven Ward’s nudge on Louis Saha in the area was harsh with the defeat seeing them slip to fourth bottom. Despite starting the campaign in positive fashion McCarthy’s side have claimed only one victory in their last nine and are too close to the drop zone for comfort.
Despite their poor run of form the visitors were bright in the opening exchanges and they took a deserved lead through Hunt’s penalty on 37 minutes. David Edwards made strides into the Everton penalty only to his progress halted by the outstretched leg of Maroune Fellaini. Referee Moss didn’t hesitate in pointing to the spot and Hunt made no mistake from 12-yards and score his second goal of the season. That proved to be the wake up call the home side needed and they were level within seven minutes with Jagielka getting on the end of Baines’ whipped free kick to plant a header past Wayne Hennessey. Controversy then engulfed the confines of Goodison Park with Toffee’s fans convinced they should have had a penalty after Karl Henry appeared to tug back Tim Cahill as the midfielder tried to get on the end of Fellaini’s shot. Mr Moss kept his whistle firmly away from his lips as the home support appealed ferociously for a spot kick.
Half time certainly didn’t do the game any favours with the opening 20 minutes passing without incident with the Everton supporters’s going from penalty appeals to lambasting their team for their sloppiness in possession. However the Toffees kept plugging away as Wolves faded and the travelling support had Hennessey to thank for snuffing out Saha as he made a rare foray into the penalty area. Ward then produced a marvellous block to deny Cahill from two yards out but it proved to be all in vain as the home side stole the points in the dying embers. Moss adjudged Ward of fouling Saha in the penalty area and Baines kept his nerve to drive home the spot kick to hand Moyes’ side a vital three points that moves them clear of the bottom three and into 12th.
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