Everton 0-1 Blackburn

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A Jon Stead header punished Everton to give Blackburn a priceless win in their fight against relegation.

Goalkeepers Nigel Martyn and Brad Friedel both turned in outstanding displays but on 81 minutes Stead glanced a header past Martyn.

In the first-half Friedel produced superb saves to stop Steve Watson and Tomasz Radzinski, while Martyn kept out efforts from Craig Short and Stead.

Everton dominated possession after the restart but paid for their profligacy.

Both keepers were quickly into action.

Martyn hurled himself to his right to palm away former Everton defender Short's header after Tugay's corner.

Within a minute Freidel produced an even better save to touch over a powerful Watson header.

Radzinski launched the next Everton attack, sending over a cross that Wayne Rooney scooped over the bar.

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On 22 minutes Alex Nyarko replaced Thomas Gravesen, who had injured himself after slipped while sending over a cross.

Rooney's movement caused Lucas Neill all sorts of problems and the Australian needed plenty of help from Lorenzo Amoruso to try and contain the England international.

Nyarko then cut inside Garry Flitcroft to blast a rising drive from outside the box that Friedel held onto.

Blackburn retaliated with two efforts in a minute as first Jon Stead sent in a fine header from Michael Gray's cross only for Martyn to produce another excellent save.

From the corner, Amoruso powered in a header which Tobias Linderoth hacked off the line with Martyn beaten this time.

Play switched to the other end and Friedel got down well to his right to claw away a Radzinski shot.

After the interval Everton upped the attacking ante and Kevin Kilbane, with an overhead effort, and Nyarko, from 25 yards, demonstrated Everton's increased desire to turn their greater possession into goals.

Alessandro Pistone put Radzinski away on the right and, when the cross arrived in the box, Rooney spun to crack a drive that crashed into Amoruso's arm at close range, though referee Phil Dowd waved away the penalty appeals.

Soon after Nyarko flashed a 20-yard shot wide of the left hand post, as Everton pressed for the opening goal.

Pistone went on another run down the wing and after his cross was blocked and he lashed the rebound inches over the angle.

Even so Blackburn continued to threaten on the counterattack and when Martin Andresen fed Andy Cole in the box, his fierce shot was superbly beaten away by Martyn at full stretch.

Cole then turned creator sending over a cross, which Stead headed past the hapless Martyn.

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Everton: Martyn, Pistone, Yobo, Weir, Naysmith (Unsworth 63), Watson, Linderoth, Gravesen (Nyarko 23), Kilbane, Radzinski (McFadden 79), Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Wright, Jeffers.

Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Amoruso, Short, Gray, Douglas, Flitcroft, Tugay, Andresen (Emerton 75), Cole (Gallagher 86), Stead.
Subs Not Used: Reid, Johansson, Enckelman.
Booked: Andresen, Neill, Tugay, Douglas.

Attendance: 38,884.

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).