The Hereford Times

Everton clinch UEFA Cup spot

8:49am Monday 12th May 2008

Everton clinched fifth place and UEFA Cup qualification with a 3-1 win over Newcastle.

The Toffees led at the break thanks to Ayegbeni Yakubu's header, but Michael Owen fired Newcastle level from the penalty spot.

However, Joleon Lescott scored his 10th goal of the season before Yakubu fired home a penalty after Leon Osman was brought down.

Referee Peter Walton had been lenient over a few tackles and some blatant holding but booked Damien Duff for pulling back Manuel Fernandes. Fernandes got up to take the free-kick himself and lifted it into the box for Yakubu to power a header past Steve Harper after 28 minutes.

Newcastle's response was a 25-yard free-kick from N'Zogbia that dipped a foot over Howard's bar, but they were penned back from then on.

Yakubu had the ball in the net again with a close-range header, set-up by Lescott's nod back into the six-yard box. But Lescott was judged marginally offside and the effort was ruled out.

Newcastle were level within 30 seconds of the restart. Joseph Yobo, caught off balance by a swerving run by N'Zogbia, sent the Newcastle forward flying in the box, and referee Walton pointed to the spot.

Up stepped Owen to fire home the penalty, to become the first visiting player to score in four successive appearances at Goodison Park since Tom Finney in the 1950s.

But Everton were ahead again after 70 minutes when Fernandes' chip into the box was flicked on by Steven Taylor, and there was Lescott to roll the ball into the far corner.

Everton got their third in the 82nd minute when Osman's run into the box was met with Taylor's challenge, taking man and not ball and referee Walton evened up the spot-kicks with one for Yakubu to drill home.