Steve Kean is nothing if not resilient, and, having stood strong against a wave after wave of personal detractions, it is a quality he has clearly instilled in his team as they survived a late onslaught to earn point at Goodison Park.
This was by no means a “backs against the wall” showing from Rovers, who could lay a strong claim for being the better side at Goodison. But in keeping out the last salvos of their host’s late rally, Blackburn showed a mettle many haven’t at the Old Lady, a quality which will stand them in good stead come the countdown to May.
The Lancashire side seem to travel under a cloud wherever they go these days, they certainly brought it to Merseyside where both teams battled in strong winds and icy rain. But it was Everton who made heavy weather of their home advantage early on.
David Moyes’ deployment of Victor Anichebe and Landon Donovan either side of Louis Saha in an unfamiliar 4-3-3 formation made for an open game with chances at both ends. Perhaps counter to the Scots plans though, it was Blackburn who created more, and created better.
Anichebe wasted the first opening of the game, shinning a Donovan cross into the floor and over the bar, but that was followed by a string of chances for Rovers. Howard used his feet to good effect to keep out David Goodwillie before the post came to Everton’s rescue, Scott Dann’s looping header glancing the woodwork.
The Blues rallied from their early scare but even the opener, as Kean pointed out afterwards, came against the run of play. Victor Anichebe did well to keep the ball alive inside the box before Baines worked it to Donovan, his lofted cross bounced between Fellaini and Robinson, the Belgian appeared to handle but referee Mark Halsey waved play on and it was Cahill who pounced on the loose ball.
That goal was his first in 34 games for Everton, he hasn’t punched a corner flag since December of 2010, little wonder then that a second chorus of cheers greeted the Australian’s pugilistic celebrations.
A monkey off the back of Cahill it may have been, but the advent of Everton’s Goodison anxiety, which has only worsened during the Aussie’s baron patch, was the prevalent again as they attempt to preserve, rather than add to their fortuitous lead.
The same post which had foiled Dann did for Dunn minutes before the break showing the Blues underbelly still exposed and still soft.
A nervous start to the second period saw Blackburn grow bullish with Junior Hoilett a constant nuisance. Their persistence paid dividends with twenty minutes to play when Rovers levelled with a goal as scrappy as the first.
Morten Gamst Pedersen hung up a freekick in the wind which Tim Howard failed to deal with under pressure. Cahill had the presence of mind to drop back onto the line, but after controlling the goal bound ball he fired the clearance straight at Goodwillie for the rebound to roll in. As Kean had his reservations about the first goal, so did Moyes about the leveller, indicating Steven Nzonzi was offside before fouling Tim Howard in air.
Everton’s response was spirited, but they were met at every turn by Blackburn who also had a little help from the frame of the goal. Young centre half Shane Duffy’s towering header clattered off the bar before Robsinson made saves from Fellaini, and Denis Stracqualursi saw an effort cleared off the line in a frantic final ten minutes.
But Rovers clung on, and it was their just deserves. Everton, meanwhile, are left still searching for the kind of home form which will be vital for their customary second half of the season revival, if at all it comes.
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Everton: Howard, Baines, Heitinga, Duffy, Neville, Fellaini, Cahill, Gibson (Stracqualursi 87), Anichebe (Vellios 80), Donovan, Saha (Drenthe 55)
Subs: Mucha, Hibbert, Bilyaletdinov, Drenthe, Stracqualursi, Gueye, Vellios
Blackburn Rovers: Robinson, Olsson, Givet, Dunn (Formica 60), Pedersen, Petrovic, Nzonzi, Dann, Hoilett, Goodwillie (Modeste75), Lowe,
Subs: Bunn, Modeste, Formica, Rochina, Vuckevic, Hanley, Henley
Goals: Cahill 24, Goodwillie 72
Att: 32, 464
Ref: M Halsey
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