Beckford reaches double figures as Everton end on a high

Old Chelsea schoolboy Jermaine Beckford settled the match against his old side with a fine solo effort, later described by Manager David Moyes as being like something out of Roy of the Rovers. It certainly was a fine goal to settle a lively game that ended with Everton deservedly claiming the final points of the season.

The 1-0 triumph over the second best team in the country was succeeded by the customary lap of honour, as Evertonians were left to wonder 'what if?', whilst simultaneously bursting with hope for next season.

It was made even more impressive by the fact that we had to deal with a shocking refereeing performance, the sending off of Seamus Coleman and an opposing starting eleven that had been assembled for £160 million.

Moyes plumped for a 4-5-1 formation, dropping Anichebe in favour of Beckford. Phil Neville was ruled out after picking up a mouth infection following a midweek trip to the dentist, and so the midfield was Coleman, Rodwell, Heitinga, Osman, Arteta. The back five was unchanged.

It was an Everton display full of energy, atypical for an end of season affair, and we could have taken the lead early on. Rodwell's surge down the right hand side earned a corner, which resulted in Phil Jagielka's headed effort hitting the crossbar. The chances kept coming as we assumed control on the game. First Coleman, after a neat interchange with Beckford, found himself in a good position but took too much time on the ball and the chance escaped.

We then had a clear penalty claim, but referee Peter Walton, who had a 'mare by all accounts, waved played on after Osman was hacked down from behind by Alex. Osman couldn't believe it, and neither could the Park End crowd.

For all our efforts, Chelsea did, at times, look dangerous at the other end. Only some great defensive work from Distin and Jagielka thwarted Anelka and Lampard in Chelsea's attack. Chelsea had a spell of possession, but failed to carve out any more real chances, and we really should have been ahead before the half was out.

A fabulous pass from Arteta set Beckford free of Alex, but the striker contrived to send the ball out for a throw-in. It took a very slight deflection, but it was a horrendous miss.

That was the last notable action of the first half and just five minutes into the second we were down to ten men. Seamus Coleman lunged at John Obi Mikel and won the ball, but his studs were showing and the reactions of the Chelsea players contributed to the youngster receiving his marching orders courtesy of a second yellow card.

The Goodison crowd rose to applaud Coleman off the field in an acknowledgement of a fantastic debut season which has seen him win Everton's Young Player of the Year award and receive a nomination for the PFA Young Player of the Year award. Not bad for £60,000.

Chelsea, assuming a man advantage, took control of the game in midfield. John Terry went closest with a 20-yard strike that cannoned off the post, but it was far from one-sided. Petr Cech had to sprawl to keep out a Beckford effort, and Arteta's shot from the perimeter of the box went narrowly wide.

Chelsea had the ball in the net after Howard flapped at a free-kick and Ivanovic took advantage, only for the goal to be correctly ruled out as offside.

It was Everton, though, that took the lead with a 74th minute goal. And what a goal it was. It was a goal so good that it made a mockery of Everton's insistence that the end of season awards ceremony is held before the end of the season. It was a goal that had Goodison rocking and roaring with approval. It was the tenth goal of the season from Jermaine Beckford.

He picked up the ball just outside his own penalty area and drove up the pitch. With nobody in front of him but five Chelsea players, most centre-forwards would have been inclined to hold the ball up and wait for support. But Beckford carried on running. His sheer pace took him past two but the task was still monumental. On the half way line he was confronted by another pair of defenders. A lucky ricochet set him through, one-on-one with Cech. The ball had ballooned into the air, but Beckford controlled in perfectly in his stride, taking one further touch before executing a sumptuous chipped finish over the onrushing goalkeeper.

He stood, arms raised, in front of the Gwladys Street. The grand old lady was rocking. It was a goal so good that if it had been scored my Messi it would talked about for years.

Goodison was alive, it was party time. Torres, who had been largely anonymous, was taunted with cries of 'Ladyboy, ladyboy' and 'you're just a sh*t Jermaine Beckford'. The place was rocking.

Beckford's mazy run and finish proved to be a great end to a season of ups and downs that ended with a seventh placed finish, a slight improvement on last year.

This last day victory has inspired confidence amongst Evertonians. Now we just have to hope that our confidence hasn't vanished by the end of August.