Rovers move up to 12th in the table after a comfortable 2-1 away win against Everton at Goodison Park. A first half goal by Matt Jansen was added to by Andy Cole’s second half header to give Rovers all three points. In between Nick Chadwick levelled things at the start of the second half for Everton, but the home side rarely troubled Brad Friedel. The first half was far from a classic, both teams were incapable of putting two passes together, time after time good moves broke down because of a misplaced cross or pass. On ten minutes there was a brief glimpse of quality when Damien Duff went on a mazy run, the ball was eventually played across to the far post where Flitcroft did enough to pressure the Everton defender into conceding a corner.
From it, Duff played it short to Dunn, and Matt Jansen was unmarked to head home the cross. But as far as a spectacle in the first half, that was it. Everton briefly threatened straight away when Unsworth should have done better when in space in the box. The second half was a much livelier affair. Whilst the poor passing continued from both sides, there was certainly more goalmouth incident. Flitcroft hit the post when following up a clever Matt Jansen header. It wouldn't have counted had it had gone in as the linesman had his flag up. On fifty minutes Everton got back on level turns, an Unsworth corner was headed on by Stubbs and Nick Chadwick turned the ball into the net with the back of his foot. But Rovers roared back, going back into the lead just past the hour mark. From a Dunn corner, the ball was cleared to Duff on the edge of the penalty area, he controlled the ball with his chest before unleashing a volley. Gerrard got down to block, but Andy Cole was on hand to head the ball back into the net. David Dunn then hit both bar and post with a curling shot as Rovers looked to get the third that would have put the contest out of reach. But Everton rarely looked like getting back on level terms, David Moyes threw on Radzinski and Blomqvist towards the end, but it was always Rovers who looked the more threatening. Andy Cole could have made it three in the final minute, when he raced clear, he lobbed Gerrard, but the ball went just over the bar.