Tim Howard backing spirit to see Everton through

And although their luminous get-up made them look like a bunch of stewards on the pre-mach briefing, they proved it wasn't just for show as they safely guided Everton to their first precious three points of the season.

American Tim Howard has seen enough male bonding and bravado in his homeland to know that was the real thing.

In short, the players realised the seriousness of the situation but also knew their team ethic was the only way they could ease the strain of the summer on manager David Moyes.

And the goalkeeper explains that it wasn't until just before kick-off that skipper Phil Neville decided to call the team in for that all-important group hug.

"I just think it was the captain trying to change things a bit," said Howard.

"The week before against Blackburn, we didn't start the way we wanted to and some of our pre-season results haven't been great - so we're just trying to change the mood and really rally ourselves prior to the kick-off.

"Everyone says the right things in the team and in the dressing room - but then there's four or five minutes before you actually kick off.

"So it was just to give us that extra spark before the game started and it was a good change."

Everton were unrecognisable in the opening day defeat to Rovers, with defensive errors compounding a nervy atmosphere that sapped their fighting spirit and resulted in a rare home defeat.

That's why remembering what had served the squad so well in the past two seasons was key to killing the threat of a West Bromwich Albion side itching to bring top flight football back to their boisterous Baggies faithful.

"It's my third year and something that has always been here and been really special about this club is the team spirit," added Howard.

"And I think this season we are going to need it more than ever.

"It's us against the world. We finished fifth last year so no-one is going to give us a shot this year. We will have to manufacture that spirit again and make sure it stays really high.

"We're doing it for each other and doing two or three jobs instead of one."

A situation easing by the day as Moyes finally gets round to bolstering his numbers towards the end of the transfer window.

And while Howard admits the wait for reinforcements has played on the players' minds, they realise they have no choice but to snap out of it.

"We worry about it to an extent," he added. "But we get paid to play and I'll say it again, nobody is gong to feel sorry for us.

"Clubs work in different ways and some transfer windows are more successful than others but it's something that is out of our control.

"It's not the norm and it's not something that we've come to expect but as players we have no control over that.

"If the manager brings in someone in your position you have no control over it if he doesn't play you, you have no control over it.

"The sooner we realise that and get on with it, like we did on Saturday, the better it will be.

"We are footballers so a win makes us feel on top of the world. Last week we were downtrodden and like, "poor us" but now we're feeling great again.

"We'll get Tim Cahill and Steven Pienaar back soon and that will boost us even more."

The catalyst for victory at The Hawthorns was the introduction of James Vaughan from the substitutes' bench.

After a knee operation earlier this year, Vaughan remains some way short of full fitness but could start when Everton entertain Portsmouth this afternoon.

But Moyes is expecting big things from the 20-year-old.

"He could be very exciting," says the Goodison manager. "My concern is that I've put him in too early because I've had very little options. The boy had to play 30 minutes last weekend and I nearly had to take him off with 10 minutes to go because he had nothing left.

"He's had no football but he made a difference and it was great for him to come back and show us what we have been missing. I don't know whether I could ask him to hang fire. His enthusiasm is his game. There are other parts that he needs to improve.

"Technically we want to do a lot of work with him but his injuries have stopped us doing that. He has missed a lot of his young development because of that. But what he has got in abundance is enthusiasm."

Moyes adds: "He has a great desire to play and wants to play all the time. You can't beat that. Everybody loves a trier. He has got great determination and that's why he is at Everton and making a living. He is terrific around the place as well.

"I think there is big improvement in him. At this present time, we just need to get him over his injury. He is not fully fit at this time. We need to get him both match fit and physically fit and that is probably going to take me a couple of months to do that."