Yakubu blasts back with a hat-trick as Everton surge through

For all his touch near goal, the Nigeria forward was perceived as lazy by some and liable to disappear in between flashes of his finishing prowess.

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He may have vanished for a few days this month, at a personal cost of an £80,000 fine after he reported back late from the Africa Cup of Nations, but the misgivings have otherwise proved unfounded.

Already Everton's leading scorer before last night's UEFA Cup return meeting against SK Brann, he reinforced his standing as Goodison Park's latest idol with a personal landmark that added a gloss to the club's biggest win in Europe.

A close-range 72nd-minute finish may not have been the pick of his 15 goals this season but made him Everton's first hat-trick marksman in Europe since Andy Gray against Fortuna Sittard 23 years ago.

Everton's record signing symbolised the confidence flowing through Moyes' side as he savoured a last-16 game against Fiorentina as he said: "It is a great feeling to score three goals and win like that. There's a long way to go, but we have the players and spirit to go all the way. If we keep playing like that and avoid injuries, we'll take some stopping."

Brann had little hope of stopping them once an uneasy opening half-hour had passed without mishap.

Lee Carsley could have paid a heavy price for halting Njogu Demba-Nyren's run on goal with a barge in the back, but referee Nikolay Ivanov waved away free-kick appeals, while Thorstein Helstad was inches away from a Petter Vaagan Moen free-kick at the far post in the 35th minute.

Any slim Brann hope of a comeback from their 2-0 first-leg arrears evaporated seconds later when Yakubu exchanged passes with Tim Cahill and curled an unerring finish beyond keeper Hakon Opdal.

Andy Johnson claimed his first goal in five weeks with a 41st-minute cross-shot that went in off a post, though the upright was less kind five minutes later when his shot bounced back after Phil Neville sent him clear.

Yakubu added the goal of the night in the 54th minute. Shaping to shoot, after being set up by Steven Pienaar, he dragged the ball back to his left, wrong-footing two defenders, before slotting the ball home.

Moen seized a deserved consolation for Brann on the hour with a long-range free-kick, though Phil Jagielka hardly helped an unsighted Tim Howard by pulling his boot out of its path at the last moment.

But Mikel Arteta's 70th-minute shot deflected in off substitute Azar Karadas before Yakubu rounded off his hat-trick two minutes later, his tap-in leaving his season's tally one short of Andrei Kanchelskis's 16 goals that has still to be bettered by an Everton striker 12 years on.

Johnson rounded off Everton's first six-goal haul in Europe with an unstoppable 25-yard drive.

Moyes said: "To score six goals in any European game is terrific. A few people might have wondered a bit when we signed Yak, but I knew he could improve us with his goals."

EVERTON (4-4-2): Howard 6; Neville 6, Jagielka 6, Lescott 7, Valente 6; Arteta 7, Carsley 6 (Hibbert 46min, 6), Cahill 7 (Fernandes 46, 6), Pienaar 7; Johnson 6, Yakubu 8. Booked: Fernandes.

SK BRANN (4-4-2): Opdal 6; Dahl 6, Bjarnason 6 (Karadas, 65, 6), Sigurdsson 6, Hanstveit 6; Solli 6, Bakke 7, El Fakiri 6 (Huseklepp 61, 6), Moen 7; Helstad 6, Demba-Nyren 7. Booked: Bakke.

Man of the match: Ayegbeni Yakubu.

Referee: Nikolay Ivanov (Russia).

Last 16 draw

Anderlecht v Bayern Munich

Bayer Leverkusen v Hamburg

BOLTON v Sporting Lisbon

Fiorentina v EVERTON

Getafe v Benfica

Marseille v Zenit St Petersburg

RANGERS v W Bremen or Braga

TOTTENHAM v PSV Eindhoven

(1st leg: March 6. 2nd leg: March 12/13)