KDH is driving force as Blues hold nerve

Midfielder the heartbeat of resilient performance by Moyes' men at Newcastle

- By JOE THOMAS

DAVID MOYES followed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall towards the dugout to continue his praise for the playmaker.

The credit continued as he took his seat on the bench and, had this performance been at home, 50,000 Everton supporters would have been on their feet to applaud him.

Instead, there was a job that still needed to be completed.

The priority of the 3,000 supporters in the away end, of Moyes, and of his staff, remained to fight the nerves and hold on for victory.

Eight minutes and one flying save from Jordan Pickford later and they were all celebrating a seventh win on the road this season.

That they had the opportunity to do so was down to the work of so many in Royal Blue, but Dewsbury-Hall was at the centre of everything.

He has become the heartbeat of Everton. Heads could easily have dropped when Jacob Murphy's scuffed volley was deflected past Pickford in the 83rd minute.

Everton had withstood everything Newcastle United had thrown at them in the second half.

Murphy's celebrations came after a second Newcastle equaliser of the afternoon had left Pickford wrong-footed courtesy of an Everton limb thrown desperately into the path of the ball. The sensible money would have been on the hosts seizing the initiative to push for a late winner.

But Dewsbury-Hall had other ideas. The home supporters were still celebrating when he burst between black and white shirts to spearhead an attack deep into the box.

His cross found its way into the path of a falling Thierno Barry, who could not miss, even with his backside.