Recently by Ian Doyle

AFTER a 90 minutes that prompted teetotal Gianfranco Zola to depart Goodison with the promise Im going to get drunk, David Moyes must surely have been tempted to follow suit.

Certainly, the Everton manager would have been forgiven having watched hopes of Europa League qualification be wastefully undermined for the second weekend in succession.

Having bemoaned the profligacy of his players at Wolverhampton Wanderers eight days earlier, yesterday Moyes was left bewildered by a lacklustre and lifeless performance that helped West Ham United return to the capital with a deserved point.

THE last time Hull City won at Goodison, war-time rationing was still in place.

And their visit yesterday showed what Everton have been missing this season.

David Moyes's side may have navigated their campaign back on track with a comprehensive dismantling of Phil Brown's Hull to secure a record-equalling sixth successive home Premier League triumph.

DAVID MOYES already had enough trouble with a foot yesterday without then watching his team shoot themselves in theirs.

On the day Everton's injury jinx returned with a vengeance, so did their propensity for doing things the hard way.

Within minutes of taking a significant step into the next round of the Europa League, the Goodison outfit pressed the self-destruct button in spectacular fashion to hand Sporting Lisbon a lifeline and leave this round of 32 tie delicately poised.

IT was just like old times at the DW Stadium on Saturday. Here was Everton, proving obdurate and stubborn on a tricky afternoon on which even the officials seemed to be lining up in opposition.

Here was Tim Cahill, quiet for the most part but popping up on cue in the closing moments to earn his team an unlikely victory.

And here was David Moyes, revelling in another long unbeaten run while trying to play down the hopes and expectations of the jubilant travelling support.

EVERTON have agreed a deal to take Arsenal centre back Phillipe Senderos on loan until the end of the season.

Goodison manager David Moyes had been tracking the Swiss international as he sought defensive reinforcements in this month's transfer window.

INJURY-JINXED Everton striker James Vaughan is facing a further lengthy spell on the sidelines after undergoing yet another knee operation.

The 21-year-old could be out for between five weeks and three months after suffering a fresh tear in his cartilage.

NO headsets, no half-time on-pitch histrionics and no karaoke crooning. For Yakubu, there was only one way to announce his return - by finding the net.

The Everton striker has travelled a long, painful road to recovery since snapping his Achilles at Tottenham Hotspur last November, countless hours spent in the solitude of rehabilitation as David Moyes's side earned a fifth-placed finish and won through to the FA Cup final.

So there was a huge emotional release when, just 11 minutes into his first start since that serious injury, he last night demonstrated he had lost none of his lethal marksmanship with a finish that was trademark Yakubu.

AFTER devouring dessert, a welcome helping of bread and butter. They may not be getting their menu in the right order, but Everton are at least regaining their Premier League appetite this season.

While David Moyes's side have acquired a taste for Europe, previous evidence had shown a worrying aversion to more domestic matters, last week's second-half capitulation at Fulham causing supporters to reach for the worry beads.

But after responding with the comprehensive dismantling of AEK Athens in the Europa League on Thursday, Everton inflicted the same punishment on Blackburn Rovers to further ease concerns of a season of toil and trouble.

EMBARRASSMENT, jubilation and disappointment, all in the space of eight days. If they haven't already, Everton's supporters had better strap themselves in for another ride on the emotional rollercoaster this season.

The hopes built by the handsome European victory in midweek came crashing down yesterday as the poor start to the Premier League campaign continued for David Moyes's side at Turf Moor.

And it brought into sharp focus the desperate need for reinforcements before the transfer window slams shut in a week's time

LESS than 500 miles separate the sleepy Swiss town of Martigny and the magnificent home of English football at Wembley.

But the distance must have seemed an awful lot longer when David Moyes took his threadbare and understrength squad to face FC Sion for Everton's opening pre-season friendly last July.

Shorn of injured personnel and with new recruits conspicuous by their absence, the Goodison manager spoke grimly of a campaign of toil ahead.

So that 10 months later he should be leading his side out for the FA Cup final against Chelsea having secured a second successive top-five finish underlines a season of further progress for Moyes and his players.