Leon Osman netted a 74th-minute winner as Everton rode their luck to beat a wasteful West Ham United 2-1 at Goodison Park this afternoon.
Romelu Lukaku had seen his first-half opener cancelled out by second-half substitute Mauro Zarate on 56 minutes.
The Hammers then paid the price for a host of missed chances when Osman struck 16 minutes from time to lift the Merseysiders up to eighth and end West Ham's five-game unbeaten run in the process.
© Getty Images
It took the best part of 19 minutes for the clash to throw up a goalscoring chance when Steven Naismith latched on to Seamus Coleman's cut-back pass, but the Scot blazed over the bar from close range.
The Toffees continued in the same vein and found their reward on 27 minutes, with Lukaku controlling the ball on his chest to fire past Adrian.
First, Morgan Amalfitano dragged his shot wide from outside the box, before Andy Carroll - making his first start of the season - hooked over from close range.
The Belgian hitman thought he had doubled his and his side's tally on the day but the goal was disallowed for offside, with replays showing that it was the right decision.
Sam Allardyce's side started the second half much the better of both teams and yanked a reward for their perseverance on 56 minutes.
Zarate - who had replaced Carlton Cole five minutes earlier - exchanged a neat one-two before watching his left-footed shot deflect off Phil Jagielka and loop over the stranded Tim Howard.
© Getty Images
West Ham went from strength to strength after forcing the equaliser and would have gone ahead on 70 minutes if not for Howard, who tipped Amalfitano's drive just wide.
Matt Jarvis then should have bagged his first goal since April but, after skipping past Jagielka, tried to beat Howard at his near post and could only find the side-netting.
They were made to pay the ultimate penalty for their profligacy when Osman, on his 400th Everton appearance, finished off a swift counter-attack from a West Ham corner.
The visitors continued on in the same vein and threw the kitchen sink at their Merseyside counterparts in a bid to earn another equaliser, but Roberto Martinez's side held on for a slender win.
Shane Callaghan
