Everton survived a Sunderland fightback to win 6-2 on
Sunday thanks to Arouna Kone's hat-trick.
Arouna Kone's hat-trick helped Everton survive a Sunderland
fightback to triumph 6-2 in the Premier League on Sunday.
Goodison Park held a minute's applause for former manager
Howard Kendall in the fourth minute and Gerard Deulofeu's
opener kept the home fans in fine voice early on.
Kone fired home a second but Jermain Defoe's excellent strike
just before the break offered Sunderland a much-needed lifeline.
Steven Fletcher's header restored parity just five minutes after
the restart but an own goal from Sebastian Coates put Everton
back in front, and the hosts promptly seized control of the
match.
Romelu Lukaku scored his fourth goal in seven games against
the Black Cats and Kone's second made it five for the home side
just two minutes later, before sealing his hat-trick with a header
following a brilliant Lukaku cross.
A shellshocked Sunderland failed to recover and remain second
from bottom of the league, while Roberto Martinez's side climb
to eighth, just a point behind Liverpool.
Sunderland were inches from snatching an unlikely lead inside
four minutes as Patrick van Aanholt combined with Fletcher
before rattling the inside of the post, before Adam Johnson
scuffed an effort onto the opposite upright after Tim Howard
saved from Defoe.
But Everton punished some slack Sunderland defending to take
the lead four minutes later. Kone looped the ball over Billy
Jones to Deulofeu, who was allowed time to cut inside on his
left and slot beneath Costel Pantilimon.
Kone doubled their lead just past the half-hour mark. A neat
one-two with Lukaku on the edge of the area allowed the Ivorian
to work the ball onto his left foot and fire high past Pantilimon.
Everton were cruising to half-time but Defoe handed Sunderland
a lifeline in stoppage time, flicking the ball over Gareth Barry's
sliding challenge before rifling a half-volley across goal and into
the far corner from the edge of the area.
And Sunderland were level barely five minutes into the second
half. Van Aanholt was given time to aim a cross from the left
towards the far post and Fletcher climbed highest to head down
and past Howard.
Deulofeu was booked for a dreadful dive as Everton sought a
third, but they did not have long to wait. The Spaniard's cross
on 55 minutes evaded Wes Brown and Coates, beating Lukaku
to the ball, only succeeded in prodding into his own net from
close range.
Sunderland pushed up in search of a response but they were
promptly hit by a sucker-punch as Everton restored their two-
goal lead. Deulofeu bent a fine pass beyond Brown and Lukaku,
racing clear of Coates, rounded Pantilimon before slotting
home.
And Martinez's men crushed the visitors' hopes of another
comeback two minutes later, as James McCarthy's fine reverse
pass sent Kone through to place a shot high into the far corner.
Kone sealed his hat-trick 14 minutes from time - and in doing so
doubled his career tally for the Toffees - heading home when
unmarked just five yards out after Lukaku's sublime cross with
the outside of his left foot.
Sam Allardyce's side looked for a late consolation but Everton,
having scored six in a league game for the first time since
thrashing Sunderland 7-1 in 2007, finished in confident mood.
