Thierno Barry scored twice in five minutes and set up the third as Everton came from behind to beat Coventry City 3-1 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Friday night, spoiling Frank Lampard's return and lifting David Moyes' side up the Premier League table.
The Toffees had been second best for long spells of a first half that ended goalless at half-time, with Coventry creating the better chances through Jack Rudoni, Yann Gboho and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto. Jack Grealish missed a fourth straight game for the hosts, and without him Everton looked blunt.
Coventry got the goal their play deserved seven minutes after the restart. Gboho, who had threatened throughout, put the Sky Blues ahead on 52 minutes and left the home crowd fearing a famous away win for Lampard on his return to Everton.
Barry Turns the Game in Five Minutes
Everton's answer was emphatic — and it all came from one man. Four minutes after falling behind, Barry turned in Vitaliy Mykolenko's cross and level the scores, and on 61 minutes the French striker struck again to complete a five-minute turnaround, as the live coverage on Sky Sports captured.
Barry was not finished. With Coventry pushing for an equaliser, he turned provider on 81 minutes, setting up Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to score Everton's third from a tight angle and give the hosts the breathing room The Sun's live blog described.
The numbers underlined how little separated the sides before Barry intervened: possession was split almost exactly, Coventry edged the shot count, yet Everton put six efforts on target to the visitors' four — and had the one finisher who took his chances when the game opened up after the break.
The brace takes Barry to six Premier League goals this season — he had four before tonight, along with eight in all competitions — and continues a run that has made him the focal point of Moyes' attack, a week after he scored the winner at Newcastle.
It was also a landmark night for his manager: Moyes took charge of Everton for the 592nd time, equalling Harry Catterick's club record.
So What?
Everton move on to 16 points from ten games and strengthen their hold on a European place, with a second straight league win — and a third victory in a row in all competitions after beating Newcastle twice in five days. More importantly, they finally have a striker deciding games: when Everton fell behind, there was no panic and no plan B needed, because plan A is in the form of his life.
For Coventry and Lampard, this will sting. They led, they had matched Everton for shots on the night and they still left with nothing, and they remain on nine points near the foot of the table. Playing well in defeat is a habit promoted sides cannot afford to keep.
Beyond the Final Whistle
Beyond the Final Whistle: Coventry were the better side for an hour and Lampard had his old club exactly where he wanted them — then Barry reminded everyone why strikers, not systems, decide Friday nights. Two goals in five minutes and an assist is a match-winning performance by any measure, and Everton's season now runs through their striker.
Is Thierno Barry now one of the Premier League's most underrated strikers? Let us know in the comments.
