Thierno Barry scored his first Everton goal to help his side beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium as the Toffees moved up to fifth place in the Premier League after a fourth win in five.
Everton had actually lost two of their previous three home games, but David Moyes’ team were helped on their way by Nikola Milenkovic’s own goal after just one minute and 22 seconds.
The decisive moment in the game came in first-half stoppage time with Forest pushing for an equaliser, only for Everton to counter at pace through Iliman Ndiaye, who fed Barry in space in the box, with the striker keeping his cool to finish under Matz Sels.
Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (centre) celebrates with team-mates after scoring their third goal
This was the 23-year-old’s 17th appearance since his £27million move from Villarreal and his sixth successive start since Moyes decided to put his trust in the Frenchman rather than the more experienced Beto.
Everton had not lost any of the previous seven league matches after taking the lead, winning five, but they were helped by a poor Forest who did not register a shot on target until Jordan Pickford turned away Elliot Anderson’s effort moments before Barry’s goal.
Everton’s Thierno Barry celebrates scoring his sides second goal
Dyche would have been furious about the three-on-one counterattack, but with Barry and Charly Alcaraz [one goal in 13] in support, Ndiaye could have been forgiven for going it alone, but he unselfishly passed to his left to give Barry his moment after 737 Premier League minutes.
Nicolas Dominguez, a replacement for half-time substitute Ryan Yates, was denied a goal by James Tarkowski after Pickford failed to deal with a cross and it proved significant as Dewsbury-Hall, who earlier hit a post, drilled home from a corner.