Everton 1 - 0 Reading

Feb 9 2008 By DOMINIC KING at GOODISON PARK

PHIL JAGIELKA was Everton’s unlikely hero against Reading as his first Premier League goal for the Blues helped them strengthen their grip on fourth place.

In a tight game where chances were few and far between, Jagielka was in the right place at the right time to end a goal drought that had lasted more than six hours and give Everton three precious points in their pursuit of Champions League football.

With Ayegbeni Yakubu not in the squad following his late return from the African Cup of Nations, David Moyes stuck mainly with the side that started had drawn 0-0 at Blackburn last week, the exception being Joseph Yobo replacing the injured Leighton Baines.

The first half was, without question, one of the most wretched 45 minutes of football that has been seen at Goodison Park all season; no pattern, no pace, no chances, nothing. Safe to say it will not be used as an advert for selling the Premier League around the world.

With Reading desperate for points, it was to be expected that they would be organised and obdurate opponents but it was alarming that Everton could not craft out a clear opportunity with which to test Marcus Hahnemann.

The closest they came to troubling Reading’s colourful American keeper was in first half injury time when Tim Cahill headed a Mikel Arteta corner onto the roof of the net.

Not surprisingly, Moyes made a change for the re-start, replacing Manuel Fernandes - who looked as if two games in two days for Portugal Under-21s had taken their toll - with James Vaughan and there was almost an immediate dividend.

Bursting between two hulking defenders on the left flank, Vaughan did superbly to roll a cross along the edge of the six-yard box but, agonisingly, Cahill could not get a foot on it and Andrew Johnson was poorly positioned to take advantage.

That seemed to give both a strangely subdued crowd and the players a lift and as the pressure started to mount, it seemed inevitable that a chance would present itself.

And so it proved, as Everton took the lead just past the hour.

Arteta’s set-pieces had lacked accuracy but he managed to conjure one up that caused panic in the Reading area with Dave Kitson only clearing as far as Leon Osman, who was lurking with intent on the edge of the box.

His cross to the back post picked out Jagielka, whose precise header found the corner of the net. Though Reading’s defenders appealed for offside, television replays showed that Kevin Doyle had kept the former Sheffield United man in play.

Vaughan unquestionably had made a huge difference and he almost added a spectacular second after good work by Arteta and Phil Neville but Hahnemann did well to paw his overhead kick away.

Johnson had a chance to seal victory when he latched on to a Vaughan through ball but he could only find the side netting yet with Jagielka and company standing firm at the back, Everton held on for a priceless victory.