Premier League: Steven Pienaar fires Everton past Fulham at Goodison

Steven Pienaar netted a first-half winner to hand Everton a 1-0 victory over Fulham at Goodison Park in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon and give their hopes of European football a timely boost.

The Toffees dominated the opening 45 minutes of the Merseyside clash and they were rewarded in just the 16th minute, when Pienaar tucked Seamus Coleman's low cross home from eight yards after some superb build-up from the hosts.

Everton began the day six points off fourth-placed Chelsea and although they closed that to three the Stamford Bridge side have a match in hand. Significantly, however, fifth-placed Spurs drew at Wigan, meaning their cushion over the Merseysiders is now only three points.

Marouane Fellaini's early header was saved by goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer before they took a 16th-minute lead, having assumed control of the game without so much as a word of objection from the visitors.

The Toffees had enjoyed plenty of penetration down the right and it was no surprise when Kevin Mirallas and Leon Osman combined to play in Coleman close to the byline for him to cut the ball back to the penalty spot where Pienaar ran in unchallenged to side-foot home.

Victor Anichebe looped a long-range header wide as the Cottagers continued to show little intent, then they were handed a blow when Dimitar Berbatov limped off after half an hour, with Mladen Petric stepping in.

Fellaini had Everton's two best chances before half-time, curling one effort wide after neat interplay by Pienaar and Nikica Jelavic, before team-mate Anichebe blocked his goalbound effort.

In between those Jelavic, a shadow of his prolific self of 12 months ago, could not decide whether to shoot or cross to Anichebe having been sent clear by Coleman and ultimately screwed the ball across goal and embarrassingly out for a throw-in.

Fulham's first chance came just before the break when Kieran Richardson's cross rolled just out of the reach of Petric at the far post.

They improved in the second half and Urby Emanuelson should have hit the target from Alex Kacaniklic's cross 10 minutes after the interval.

Mirallas' tumble in the area had the Belgium international appealing for a penalty but despite contact from Stanislav Manolev the Everton forward was already falling over. The Belgian's next intervention was brilliant, however, flicking it over Manolev before hitting a volley which Schwarzer palmed away.

Anichebe then looped a header just wide of the far post as Everton finally regained the dominance they had enjoyed in the first half.

Fellaini would have wrapped up victory five minutes from time but somehow bundled over Leighton Baines' cross from close range while substitute Ross Barkley forced a good save from Schwarzer when put clean through in added time.

Everton boss David Moyes was pleased to see Pienaar provide the creativity needed to secure the win.

"Steven played well today and gave us the creativity we needed," he told Sky Sports.

"It was a brilliantly worked goal. It was a good football goal from our point of view. We felt we made good passes, played through and it was a good finish by Steven at the end."

Fulham manager Martin Jol admits Everton were the better team and his side did not deserve to take much from the clash.

"We didn't deserve a lot, they were the better team," said the boss.

"It's 1-0 and when it's 1-0 in an away game you always feel you could have had a bit more. But it could have been two or three (to Everton) as well so I can't complain."

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