Toffees ease past Derby

Yakubu struck a low left-foot finish past Stephen Bywater in the 62nd minute to effectively wrap up victory for the visitors who had taken a 26th minute lead through Mikel Arteta.

Despite a first league start for teenage prospect Giles Barnes and a rare second half appearance from record signing Robert Earnshaw, the home side never threatened to claw their way back for a point.

While it was a refreshing win for the visitors after two straight defeats, it was another damning indictment of the Rams' chances of avoiding relegation which on this evidence are extremely slim.

The Rams had reason to start brightly having picked up their first away point at Fulham last time out, and Barnes' appearance from the start also gave the home fans cause for optimism.

But Everton had their own impetus with Tim Cahill's first league start since March, and they would ultimately have the better of a dull first period in which neither keeper was unduly tested.

With the Rams showing next to nothing, Everton snatched the lead in the 26th minute with a swift counter-attack begun by Phil Jagielka's long ball forward from the half-way line.

Yakubu played a clever dummy which caught out the home defence and gifted Arteta a clear run on goal, with the Spaniard taking full advantage with a low shot under Bywater.

It was business as usual after the break, with Joseph Yobo inches away from extending Everton's lead in the 47th minute when he flashed a header from a Cahill corner inches wide.

And the visitors secured the points after 62 minutes when Pienaar played a low ball into the Rams box and dismal defending enabled Yakubu to skip through unchallenged and hit a low left-foot shot past Bywater.