By Chris Kirwan
April 12 2003

The Blues won by the solitary goal yet again, and in the process edged closer to European qualification. The goals came from David Weir and Kevin Campbell as the Blues came back from conceding an early penalty.

The Blues have certainly tested the blood pressure of fans and staff this season, but they left the Hawthorns with maximum points. Everton won the game despite having David Moyes banished to the stands for ‘foul and abusive language and improper behaviour.’

Assistant manager Alan Irvine took control, and told www.evertonfc.tv:

“David didn’t appear to say or do anything outrageous in my opinion. “I was listening and thinking if this goes too far then I will pull him back but I didn’t think it had and it seemed like a quick reaction.”

Moyes was unhappy at another penalty decision going against the Blues. While he may have felt aggrieved after believing the tide had turned with last week's refereeing favouring the Blues, the 'swings and roundabouts' theory has certainly not applied to WBA this season; it was their first penalty of the season. Nonetheless Irvine stated:

“Having looked at the penalty incident again we thought it was very soft and ironically it was the same referee that awarded a penalty at Southampton and we fell a bit aggrieved at that one, too.”

But despite the decision the Blues came back strongly, and a header from Weir and a simple Campbell finish gave the Moyes and his team maximum points. By all accounts they rode their luck at times, and the Baggies were once again let down by their woeful finishing (22 goals in 33 games simply isn't good enough). But the Blues did enough to condemn WBA to their seventh consecutive loss, and they moved closer to the UEFA Cup.

After two much-needed wins on the trot the Blues head in to a crucial weekend of football, at home to Liverpool and away at Chelsea. Moyes will be looking at at least three points to carry on the push for Europe, and hopefully that will come with a convincing win on the 19th.