Everton survived a late Derby County comeback to win 4-3 on March 23, 2002, securing what was their first Premier League away victory since the opening day of the season in David Moyes’ opening fixture on the road
After securing his first win as Everton manager in 4,271 days by beating Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 last time out, in what was his second game at Goodison Park of the week, returning Blues boss David Moyes his heading on the road for the first time since coming back to the club as his side travel to Brighton & Hove Albion. The Scot’s first trip to the Sussex outfit as a manager was a 2-0 victory in an FA Cup third-round tie at their old Withdean Stadium home with his Preston North End side on January 14, 2002, just a couple of months before he was hired by Everton and dubbed them ‘The People’s Club.’
With a new era beginning again at the Blues, here’s a look back to Moyes’ debut away day first time around as Everton survived a late Derby County comeback at Pride Park and although they raced into a 3-0 lead on March 23, 2002 – like they did against Spurs – by the time referee Neale Barry blew the full-time whistle, they were relieved to run out victors in a seven-goal thriller…
Although they’d not won in any of their previous seven Premier League matches and had recorded just one success among their previous 13 fixtures in the competition, Everton had defeated Fulham 2-1 at Goodison Park the previous weekend in Moyes’ first game in charge after replacing fellow Scot Walter Smith as manager.
READ MORE: Insider view from Everton dressing room on Sean Dyche sacking and David Moyes returnREAD MORE: ‘You’ve got me now’ – David Moyes admits rival taunt spurred him on at Everton
However, that was (before coronavirus-induced action behind closed doors and the return of former Blues boss Marco Silva who triumphed three times at Goodison over Sean Dyche’s men in 2023), the date on the calendar always destined for a home banker. Until Josh Maja’s brace inflicted a Valentine’s Day massacre when Everton slumped to a 2-0 defeat to Fulham at an empty Goodison in 2021, the Blues had won 22 consecutive league games at home to the Cottagers on a run that stretched back to 1959.
The three points collected in the East Midlands though were Everton’s first ever at Pride Park and their first away win in the Premier League since a 2-1 triumph at Charlton Athletic on the opening day of the season back on August 18. Just as he done against the west London outfit seven days earlier, David Unsworth put Everton on their way with a cool left-foot finish on 38 minutes.
The visitors doubled their lead seven minutes into the second half when Alan Stubbs drilled a howitzer of a free-kick past Swiss keeper Patrick Foletti. When Niclas Alexandersson popped up at the back post to add a third two minutes later it looked game over, but the Rams would rally to make Moyes’ men sweat.
A mere three minutes after the Swede’s strike, Branko Strupar pulled a goal back through a sweetly-struck volley from just outside the area with what was his first touch of the game. With 71 minutes on the clock, Duncan Ferguson restored the visitors’ three-goal cushion with a well-placed side-footed effort from just beyond the penalty spot after being fed by Alexandersson.
However, another Derby substitute Lee Morris got on the scoresheet five minutes later as he slammed into the roof of Steve Simonsen’s net after Everton failed to clear a Georgi Kinkladze corner-kick and with nine minutes to go, Rob Lee picked out Strupar for a headed goal that reduced arrears even further. John Gregory’s side, who were destined for relegation, couldn’t find an equaliser though and the Blues, who would ultimately finish seven points clear of the drop zone, celebrated a result that extended the gap between themselves and the bottom three to four points.
A relieved Moyes said: “The players have not had too many Saturday nights where they can remember winning and now, they have had two on the trot where they can feel good about themselves.” Indeed, it’s the kind of good habit that the current crop need to get back into.
