Thierno Barry breaks Everton duck as David Moyes’ impressive side beat Forest

By Carl Markham, Press Association

Thierno Barry ended his long wait for his first goal as Everton moved to within a point of the top four with a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.

David Moyes came out on top in the battle with his Toffees predecessor Sean Dyche as his faith in the young striker was finally rewarded.

This was the 23-year-old’s 17th appearance since his £27million move from Villarreal and his sixth successive start since his manager decided to put his trust in the Frenchman rather than the more experienced Beto.

Neither forward had offered him much in the way of a threat – with just one league goal between them – and for 45 minutes Barry’s contribution was negligible.

He comfortably lost the physical battle with Nikola Milenkovic, whose own goal after just 82 seconds had put the visitors on the back foot, and twice was left rolling around on the floor after bouncing off the Serbian centre-back.

But teed up by Iliman Ndiaye in an added-time counter-attack Barry, with surprising confidence, produced a first-time finish of which watching former Everton striker Gary Lineker would have been proud.

The outpouring of joy from the player, his team-mates and the majority of Hill Dickinson Stadium showed how much all parties had been willing the moment to happen.

A fourth win in a five games lifted Everton into the European shake-up, already a remarkable achievement from Moyes managing a team whose strikers have struggled to score and which was down to its last pair of senior midfielders due to a couple of suspensions and an injury.

When Forest were last on Merseyside a fortnight ago, they embarrassed Liverpool at Anfield but on their return they were left red-faced on a particularly painful afternoon for Dyche who, despite twice saving the club from relegation amid financial troubles and points deductions, never won over fans.

His hopes of proving a point on his first return took a dive in the second minute.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall turned Dan Ndoye before firing in a cross which Milenkovic could only divert into the same net only a week ago Newcastle’s Malick Thiew had scored after just 55 seconds.

Everton had not lost any of the previous seven league matches after taking the lead, winning five, but they were helped by a poor Forest who did not register a shot on target until Jordan Pickford turned away Elliot Anderson’s effort moments before Barry’s goal.

Dyche would have been furious about the three-on-one counter-attack but with Barry and Charly Alcaraz (one goal in 13) in support Ndiaye could have been forgiven going it alone, but he unselfishly passed to his left to give Barry his moment after 737 Premier League minutes.

Nicolas Dominguez, a replacement for half-time substitute Ryan Yates, was denied a goal by James Tarkowski after Pickford failed to deal with a cross and it proved significant as Dewsbury-Hall, who earlier hit a post, drilled home from a corner.