Jagielka gets Everton back on track
Everton bounced back from their shock FA Cup exit against Reading as Phil Jagielka's goal clinched a 2-1 win against Newcastle on Saturday.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: March 06, 2011 06:31 PM IST
Everton bounced back from their shock FA Cup exit against Reading as Phil Jagielka's goal clinched a 2-1 win against Newcastle on Saturday.
Â
David Moyes' side crashed out of the FA Cup fifth round after a lacklustre effort at home to Championship opposition, but the Toffees were able to make amends with a more convincing performance at St James' Park.
Â
Leon Best had given Newcastle the lead in the first half but Leon Osman equalised before England defender Jagielka bagged the winner close to the interval.
Â
Best thought he had snatched a draw when he headed past Tim Howard for a second time, but referee Howard Webb had spotted a push on Jagielka as the ball came across and disallowed the late effort.
Â
After a scrappy start, it was Newcastle who took the lead from their first meaningful attack with 23 minutes gone.
Â
Fabricio Coloccini's quickly-taken free-kick to Jonas Gutierrez caught the visitors napping and when the Argentinian's low cross was turned on to skipper Kevin Nolan by Mike Williamson, he powered a shot towards goal from a tight angle.
Â
Howard could only parry the ball across goal to present Best with the simplest of tasks to head home his sixth of the season.
Â
Newcastle's dominance was fleeting and Everton equalised in the 31st minute when Mikel Arteta laid a perfect pass for Osman to side-foot home with the help of a deflection off Jose Enrique.
Â
It got even better for Everton in the 36th minute as Newcastle's defenders failed to deal with a Leighton Baines free-kick, giving Jagielka room to shoot home off the underside of the crossbar.
Â
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew was forced into a reshuffle when Enrique limped off injured, with Danny Simpson taking over at left-back, Peter Lovenkrands dropping into midfield and substitute Shola Ameobi joining Best in attack.
Â
The changes almost worked in Newcastle's favour had Williamson managed to turn Gutierrez's driven shot inside rather than outside the post in first-half injury time.
Â
Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper had to make a smart save to keep out Jermaine Beckford's volley on the hour and Arteta might have sealed the win, but stabbed wide from close-range.
Â
The hosts kept pressing for an equaliser but the closest they came was Best's effort in the 78th-minute which was ruled out for a push on Jagielka.