When Everton visited here for a Carling Cup tie two months ago, they were three goals ahead after 24 minutes and cruised to an emphatic 4-0 triumph.

Last night, however, they were 3-0 down before the half-hour against a Hull side that, while enjoying a recovery of sorts after a dismal start to the campaign, are still among the favourites for relegation.

The horror show began in the ninth minute when Hull went ahead with a goal the Everton defence will not want to see again in a hurry.

Hunt’s cross from the left deflected off Joseph Yobo and looped towards the far post. Despite both Sylvain Distin and Leighton Baines covering the loose ball, Hull striker Jozy Altidore somehow won possession and unleashed a vicious shot that was brilliantly beaten out by Tim Howard, only for Hunt to react quickest and fire home the rebound.

However, there was not much that could be done to prevent Hull’s second on 20 minutes. After referee Martin Atkinson harshly adjudged Yobo to have fouled Geovanni, Dawson stepped up to curl a sumptuous free-kick into the top left-hand corner of Howard’s goal from 25 yards. The Everton goalkeeper didn’t stand a chance.

And the misery continued eight minutes later with another avoidable goal. Hunt was allowed time to retrieve the ball on the right flank and send in a low cross that was deflected by a stretching Distin into the path of Marney, whose shot struck Cahill and looped home.

Remarkably, it was Marney’s first Premier League goal since netting twice against Everton while playing for Tottenham Hotspur almost five years ago.

The best the shell-shocked visitors could manage during a one-sided first half was when Saha flashed a header over the bar from a Leighton Baines right-wing corner.

Everton’s comeback was kickstarted by a moment of comedy defending by Zayatte, the Hull centre-back swinging his right foot at John Heitinga’s cross from the left and the ball looping over home goalkeeper Matt Duke and going in off the post.

Zayatte was once rejected by Moyes after a trial at Everton, and the Guinean was proving the value of the Goodison manager’s decision with some nervy defending.

And Everton capitalised again on 65 minutes. Cahill’s lofted ball into the box was chested down by Saha whose progressed was checked by a daft tackle by Zayatte. A clear penalty, Saha dusted himself down to convert from the spot for his 10th goal of the season.

But despite plenty of possession, the late onslaught never arrived, with the fact Hull keeper Duke barely had a save to make during the final quarter underlining the absence of guile on show from the visitors.

It was the lack of heart, however, that most infuriated Moyes. He knows Everton simply cannot afford a repeat on Sunday.

But the late onslaught never truly arrived, with Hull keeper Duke barely forced into a save during the final quarter.