Everton

Everton fans reflect on Royston Drenthe’s strike at Fulham in 2011

|
Image for Everton fans reflect on Royston Drenthe’s strike at Fulham in 2011

A selection of Everton supporters have been reflecting on Royston Drenthe and the Toffees’ 3-1 win over Fulham on October 23, 2011.

David Moyes’ Blues beat the Cottagers on that day thanks to late strikes in stoppage-time from Louis Saha and Jack Rodwell, after Fulham’s Bryan Diaz had pulled the hosts level midway through the second-half following Drenthe’s second-minute opener (BBC).

Drenthe’s strike came from Everton’s first attack on the Craven Cottage goal, when Rodwell tapped the ball back to the Real Madrid loanee, who curled his effort around Mark Schwarzer with pace and power from range.

Schwarzer refused to be beaten by a later Drenthe effort from long range, though, while Fulham left-back John Arne Riise could not direct his dipping shot on target with the Cottagers’ first true opening to break the Everton goal line.

But Tim Howard would be forced to pick the ball out of his net midway through the second-half when Ruiz came off the bench, connected with Clint Dempsey, and lobbed the American shot-stopper with a deft chip.

Chances followed for both sides after that, and moments before Saha struck the go-ahead goal, Fulham’s Bobby Zamora had the chance to give his West London side the lead. The two-time England international failed to capitalise on an open goal, though, and instead submitted an early contender for miss of the season when he blasted the ball over the bar.

Saha then punished Zamora’s miss with a calm stroke past Schwarzer after bringing the ball down on his chest, and Rodwell sealed the win three minutes into stoppage-time.

Drenthe’s opening goal was ‘straight from the Gods’ as one Everton fan put it, as Blues supporters on Twitter reflect on that October win from eight years ago.

Another has suggested the midfielder, who made 27 appearances for Everton while on loan from Real Madrid (TransferMarkt), could have become a better player for them had it not been for his off-the-field antics.

The chance to reflect on days bygone has also got one Everton fan reflecting on the Blues’ current state under Marco Silva, by adding ‘we won an away game?’

Everton are yet to win away from Goodison Park in the Premier League this season, and were beaten in nine of their 19 road games last term, winning five.

Silva last oversaw a league win on his side’s travels when the Toffees played Cardiff City in February, before allowing a two-goal lead to slip at Newcastle United on their next trip away from Merseyside.

While one supporter looked negatively at Everton’s current situation, a number of Blues fans also reflected on Drenthe’s goal from eight years ago by noting how significant that fixture was to them individually.

One has shared how the Fulham clash in 2011 was their first Everton match attended in person, while another added that it was his daughter’s first fixture seen away from Goodison Park.

Share this article