Two brilliant free-kicks from Leighton Baines and a debut
goal from Romelu Lukaku saw Everton to a thrilling 3-2 win at West Ham United.
Sam Allardyce's side, who ended the game with 10 men,
thought they had done enough to secure at least a point as Ravel Morrison and
Mark Noble netted their first Premier League goals since the opening day of the
season.
They survived an early scare when Kevin Mirallas forced
Jussi Jaaskelainen into a fine sprawling stop, but broke the deadlock on 31
minutes when Matt Jarvis teed up Morrison on the edge of the box and his
drilled effort took a wicked deflection off Phil Jagielka to leave Tim Howard
wrong-footed.
Lukaku came on for his Everton bow as part of a double
change at the interval, and Roberto Martinez was forced to play his final card
within seven minutes of the re-start as Leon Osman hobbled from the field.
Fresh faces appeared to breathe new life into the
visitors and they had been knocking on the door for some time before hauling
themselves level in spectacular fashion just past the hour mark, with Baines
crashing a trademark 25-yard free-kick into the top corner.
It was, however, to be the hosts who got their noses back
in front, with Noble stepping up on 76 minutes to calmly convert from the
penalty spot after Kevin Nolan had been tripped inside the box by James
McCarthy.
The West Ham midfielder went from hero to villain in the
space of five minutes, though, as he collected a second yellow card for a foul
on Ross Barkley and saw Baines bend another fabulous free-kick into the back of
the net off the inside of the post.
With the Hammers rocking, Everton rammed home their
numerical advantage five minutes from time when Mirallas floated over a cross
and Lukaku bravely powered a header past Jaaskelainen - with a nasty clash of
heads suggesting he may not remember too much about his dramatic clincher.
Leighton Baines scored two goals from free kicks and
praised Romelu Lukaku's winning goal in Everton's 3-2 victory over West Ham.
Options
West Ham - missing attacking options Andy Carroll, Joe
Cole and Stewart Downing to injury - can take comfort from the end of their scoring
drought which had lasted 314 minutes until Morrison fired them ahead after half
an hour.
Everton went close after six minutes when Mirallas tested
Jaaskelainen and Steven Naismith was inches away from a second attempt when the
ball sailed past.
It was West Ham, though, who showed precision in the 31st
minute as they surged ahead, although a large deflection off Jagielka helped
them to take the lead.
Jarvis, once again proving a handful down the left wing,
skillfully threaded his way infield and teed up Morrison and the former
Manchester United midfielder drilled the ball home.
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce says he can't blame
goalkeeper Jussi Jääskeläinen for the three goals they conceded at the hands of
Everton.
Lukaku came on for the second half and his delicate early
touch was taken on by compatriot Mirallas, who raced to the byline and crossed
only for West Ham to recover by getting numbers back.
Naismith had also made way for McCarthy as Martinez
attempted to invigorate his side, but the Hammers were more creative with
Jarvis galloping free and just failing to find Modibo Maiga.
Showing vision once more, Lukaku played Barkley into the
area only for the England midfielder to run down a blind alley.
The initiative had been seized and in the 62nd minute the
equaliser arrived, Baines steering a terrific 20-yard free-kick beyond
Jaaskelainen into the top left corner.
Noble flashed a corner wide of the left post and Baines
forced a save from close range as the match opened up.
Noble powered home from the spot after Nolan had been
hacked down by McCarthy, but then he trudged off after receiving a second
yellow from referee Lee Mason and Baines delivered the equaliser.
The outstanding Lukaku deserved a goal and it duly
arrived as he nodded Everton to victory.
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