Everton 1 Brentford 0: Toffees grab three massive points

What a huge result! After a dreadfully nervous second half, Everton held on this afternoon to secure a massive three points as they beat Brentford 1-0 at Goodison Park.

The Blues’ desperately needed this win today and after scoring just 35 seconds in through Dwight McNeil, they managed somehow to hold on and keep the visitors out for the rest of the game.

After that very early goal, Everton were much the better side in the first half and really should have added to it and effectively settled the outcome.

Demarai Gray had a strike disallowed and both Michael Keane and Amadou Onana had great chances for example, but neither could finish and this was very much the theme of the first half.

Goodison Park was loud and the Toffees’ were well on top. As the half wore on though without another goal, I started thinking again and that feeling was creeping in that if they didn’t score a second, would it be enough?

And in that second half Brentford did up their game and they were now largely in control and pressing hard for that equaliser.

The Bees’ had a shot cleared off the line and several other great chances to score. They weren’t able to do so though and after a nerve-racking last few minutes and the usual extended extra-time minutes as well, Everton had won 1-0 again.

This regular set of one-goal victories has become the theme at the Grand Old Lady and Sean Dyche has managed to conjure this result in three of his four him games since taking over from Frank Lampard.

I said before this afternoon’s encounter, that I thought it was a potentially season-defining match and that it was crucial, as we all knew, for the Blues’ to win.

Other results were mixed with Leeds managing to secure a draw at home to Brighton while Bournemouth beat Liverpool. That would usually be a great result, but in fact it wasn’t what Evertonians needed today.

West Ham can leapfrog the Toffees’ with a win tomorrow but at least for the rest of the week Everton are out of the drop zone.

Now, the key is to try and carry this momentum into upcoming fixtures. Next up though comes a really tough game in West London when they visit a resurgent Chelsea.