AND to think there are those who believe Yakubu’s timing is lousy. On his first appearance at Goodison since going AWOL after the Africa Cup of Nations, the Everton striker chose the perfect opportunity to demonstrate his contribution to the team and win himself back into the good books of his manager.

A brilliantly-executed hat-trick, the second of Yakubu’s Everton career, was the highlight as David Moyes’s side thrashed Norwegian champions SK Brann to romp into the last 16 of the UEFA Cup.

It was evening when Yakubu discovered all is forgiven among the Everton support following his disappearing act earlier in the month.

The Nigerian’s debut goal in Europe for the club in the 36th minute was followed by two more after the interval to take his tally to 15 for the season.

Clearly, if Yakubu is good at going missing, he’s even better at scoring. His treble helped Everton underline the gulf in class between themselves and Brann that had been exposed in Norway eight days earlier to register their biggest-ever win in European competition.

Now, however, is where the hard work begins.

Next opponents Fiorentina – with Everton travelling to Italy for the first leg on March 6 – are currently fourth in Serie A and a significant level above anything Moyes and his players have so far encountered in Europe.

The list of who else has won through to the last 16 – which includes the likes of Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Werder Bremen, Benfica, Sporting Lisbon, Hamburg, PSV Eindhoven, Marseille and, er, Bolton Wanderers – is both testament to Everton’s achievement and a warning of future danger.

However, none of those will want to meet Moyes’s side if they can maintain this kind of devastating form.

Last night wasn’t just all about Yakubu. Andrew Johnson has plugged away for little return in recent weeks, but was rewarded handsomely for his efforts with two blistering strikes.

That’s eight for the season now and both player and manager will hope it can provide a much-needed injection of confidence to the striker’s game.

Notably, this was the first time both he and Yakubu had scored while on the pitch at the same time, a sign the pair are at last beginning to mesh as a strike partnership.

Mikel Arteta also found the target with his third of the campaign, with the only blemish the avoidable goal Tim Howard conceded that at least gave the boisterous travelling Brann army something to cheer.

Moyes had declared Everton’s fortunes over the next three months would determine whether they are the ‘real deal’ or mere overachievers.

Complacency had contributed to the surprise FA Cup exit at home to Oldham Athletic last month and, despite the healthy advantage from the first leg, the Goodison Park manager left nothing to chance last night.

Joseph Yobo – ruled out through illness – and Leon Osman may make strong claims to the contrary, but the team that started the game was perhaps the strongest available to Moyes, with Arteta returning from injury and Steven Pienaar making his first appearance in almost six weeks.

Pienaar has been a big miss, the on-loan Manuel Fernandes filling the breach manfully but unable to match a work-rate and creativity that gave the South African three assists last night.

Brann coach Mons Ivar Mjelde had prophetically declared it “pointless” for the visitors to believe they had a chance of progress, but that didn’t stop 1,500 vociferous fans making the trip from Norway.

With banners describing Everton as “Just a small club from Kirkby”, there were perhaps one or two with an extra incentive to see Brann succeed.

Njogu Demba-Nyren had caused Everton problems when emerging from the bench last week and was rewarded with a place in Brann’s starting line-up.

And the striker was involved in a controversial moment in the seventh minute when, while chasing on to a long punt forward that caught the home defence dozing, he collided with the retreating Lee Carsley.

Goodison Park held its breath, but referee Nikolay Ivanov waved play on. Had Carsley been penalised, the midfielder would almost certainly have been dismissed.

Brann were lively in the opening half-hour, Thorstein Helstad drawing a decent save from Tim Howard at his near post while Joleon Lescott survived mild appeals for a penalty when the ball struck his arm.

But within seconds of Howard again denying Helstad in the 35th minute after the Brann striker had peeled off at the far post to meet a deep free-kick, Everton went ahead and the tie was effectively over.

It was a good goal, too, Pienaar feeding Tim Cahill inside the area and the Australian flicking possession into the path of Yakubu, who swept the ball home first time into the top corner with his right foot. Five minutes later came Everton’s second, Johnson striking a rasping low angled drive that was too hot for Brann goalkeeper Hakon Opdal.

The striker then hit the post shortly after the interval before Yakubu scored his second on 54 minutes, leaving two defenders on his backside with a clever turn before slotting home after being found by Pienaar.

Petter Vaagan Moen, who had troubled Howard in the first half with an ambitious free-kick, embarrassed the goalkeeper on the hour with a low set-piece that bobbled underneath Carsley in the Everton wall and past the unsighted American.

But it was only a temporary reprieve as Arteta restored Everton’s three-goal advantage on 70 minutes with the help of a wicked deflection off the unfortunate Azar Karadas. And the Brann substitute contrib-uted another unwitting assist two minutes later, with both he and then Erlend Hasntveit diverting Pienaar’s low cross from the left into the path of Yakubu for an easy tap-in.

Pienaar and Moen both hit the post in the closing moments, and the rout was completed in injury time when Johnson unleashed a magnificent swerving shot from 20 yards that flew past a demoralised Opdal.

Certainly, Everton’s European adventure is one that cannot be missed.