I'm not sure why, but a rare wave of optimism swept over me before this one. I can't explain fully but it was something to do with the run of results leading up to it. Far from Everton coming into the game on a fantastic run of form, to me that meant they were due a defeat.

I also had to agree with those that felt Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy had something to prove after their Champions League bans and predicted big performances from those pair. In the end most that proved to be the case with the Toffee's run coming to a spectacular end as our front two made amends for their Inter transgressions. However, there's a bit more to it than that.

The main surprise of the afternoon was the negativity displayed by the team that had won five on the bounce. Their formation seemed positive enough, with Campbell and Radzinski playing in high areas of the pitch but it was the attitude of those in blue that was puzzling. Long before Yobo walked for halting Bellamy's charge on goal, Everton were niggly and cynical and had started wasting time from the very first minute.

The game plan was obviously one of stifling us, rather than showing what they had to offer. I think a lot of us had looked at results and TV highlights and thought David Moyes had done a great job and good luck to the blue half of Merseyside for a change. The pace of Radzinski and emerging talent of Wayne Rooney seemed like something worth coming to watch.

For me, that has all gone down the plughole with the antics and after-match comments employed by Moyes and his not-so-merry men. This is best summed up by an incident in the second half when defender Tie Li went down clutching his foot just as we were building up a head of steam. The cause of the injury? The ball had hit it.... I know I still have things to learn about this game but a ball hitting a foot seems to me, a pretty essential part of football.

Worse was to follow as he rolled around in agony as their bald-headed trainer ambled on. Ref Halsey told him in no uncertain terms to treat the player off the pitch, the byline being only 5 yards from the stricken defender. The trainer then threatened the ref with all sorts of gestures seemingly claiming that moving his patient could have serious consequences - aye, like letting us get back on with peppering their goal. Difficult to know who was in charge at this point. Certainly not Halsey.

Eventually trainer and invalid hobbled to the corner flag which was about as far as they could go without causing a riot. Seconds later on comes Hi Tea, sprinting faster than before and diving in with increased gusto.

Having said all that, Everton were certainly well-organised and defended very well, especially with ten men. However disappointing our final ball was, to keep out; Robert, Solano, Dyer, Shearer, Speed and Bellamy for 70 minutes was no mean feat. As an attacking unit we have just about everything in that. Power, pace, skill, heading and crossing ability and it was baffling to see how we made such a meal of turning this game round.

At the other end Shay had nothing more to do after he'd made a hash of coming out to collect the ball after Campbell's mis-control. The ball was his and how it wriggled through his legs is something that should concern him... greatly. You only had to see the look of surprise on Campbell's face to realise what a blunder it was.

(Given was to escape further punishment as the game went on with a succession of ill-advised balls rolled out to under-pressure defenders. Although Everton didn't manage to capitalise on any of these, the crowd at the Leazes weren't slow to voice their disapproval, which seemed to shake our custodian a little). 

But this team of ours seem to take pleasure in wringing every last ounce of exasperation out if its followers before taking us to new heights of ecstasy. Bringing on Ameobi and Viana had injected a bit of something into flagging limbs but Shearer's blast was still as unexpected as it was magnificent.

The resistance had buckled and after reprising his last-gasp Feyenoord winner, Bellamy made his way back to the centre spot gesturing towards the East Stand in a sort of apology, as if to say "I hope that makes up for last Wednesday". 

I'm not sure that it does fully, but it certainly goes some of the way. The same could be said of Shearer, but the absence of both strikers next week in Spain shifts the emphasis on to other members of the side. If we are to come back from Barca with anything other than a defeat we'll be saluting new heroes.

Niall MacKenzie