Everton claimed a 3-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers to end a four-game winless run in the Premier League.
Ross Barkley fired the Blues ahead and a deflected Kevin Mirallas free kick gave them a two-goal lead at the break.
Steven Naismith headed in a third shortly after half time, before Bobby Zamora pulled back a goal late on for the visitors.
Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the events that unfolded at Goodison Park.
Match Statistics:
EVERTON:
Shots 13
On Target 5
Possession 54%
Corners 1
Fouls 11
QPR:
Shots 17
On Target 4
Possession 46%
Corners 8
Fouls 12
Was the result fair?
Everton were deserved winners this evening and they were on top from the start of the match. It may have taken them a while to get into top gear, but once Barkley found the net, the result was never in doubt. They completely dominated the midfield and QPR struggled to get in behind. The visitors may have had 17 shots on goal, but very few of those troubled Tim Howard, as their poor form on the road continued.
Everton's performance
Roberto Martinez's side have struggled to find their best form in the opening months of the season and their home record has been slightly patchy. There was a sense of nervousness in the air and it took them a while to really settle. They saw plenty of the ball in the opening 30 minutes, but were rarely able to get in behind QPR and seriously trouble Robert Green. That all changed when Barkley charged forward from the centre of the midfield, before unleashing an unstoppable drive into the top corner.
That goal sparked them into life and their attacking players began to find their usual passing game. It was no surprise that they grabbed a second before the break, even if Mirallas's free kick took a huge deflection on its way in. Naismith's third goal eight minutes into the second half effectively sealed the points and, although they took their foot of the gas late on, they were worthy winners. It was certainly a much-needed three points given their recent run, and they will be hoping to use it as a springboard to put together a consistent run of results.
QPR's performance
QPR made a decent start to the match and they were making it difficult for Everton to get into their stride. Although they did not create too many chances, the game was very much in the balance until they conceded. They failed to recover from that setback and found themselves under siege from the Blues.
Although the first two goals were unfortunate deflections, the third that they conceded was a shambles and it ruled out any chance of a comeback. The first time that they managed to test the keeper was in the last 10 minutes, when Zamora tapped in after Jordon Mutch's shot had been saved, but by then the damage was already done. It is looking rather desperate for them now, as they have lost all eight of their games away from Loftus Road, while the 30 goals that they have conceded is the worst in the league.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Muhamed Besic: The Bosnian may not have had too many chances to impress since his move to the club, but with Gareth Barry and James McCarthy missing, he took on an important role in the midfield. Alongside Barkley, he helped Everton to dominate possession and he made a number of huge tackles in what was a fine all-round display.
Biggest gaffe
Green was unlucky to concede the first two goals, but he must take the blame for Everton's third. It was his poor clearance that put his defence under pressure and the hosts were quickly in to take full advantage.
Referee's performance
Had QPR managed to level the scores in the closing minutes, then Neil Swarbrick would have got plenty of stick. He had wrongly given an offside decision against Mirallas and seconds later, the visitors went up the other end and scored. It proved to be just a consolation, but games can turn on such calls.
What next?
Everton: The Blues are back in action when they visit Southampton on Saturday.
QPR: The Hoops will be looking to bounce back when they welcome West Bromwich Albion to Loftus Road on Saturday.
Alex Meyers
