Birmingham 2-2 Everton: The Sunday Mirror match report

David Moyes is on record saying that his present Everton side is the best in his eight years as Goodison boss.

That might well be the case – but they still struggle, ­occasionally, to demonstrate the killer instinct required of the high-fliers.

At St Andrew’s, they had ­Birmingham – close rivals for a possible European place – on their knees, only to allow them to get their heads off the ­chopping block.

Everton got themselves into a match-winning situation after only 22 minutes with goals from their Nigerian strikeforce of Victor Anichebe and Ayegbeni Yakubu.

Not bad considering they were again without injured top scorer, Louis Saha.

Then, however, it all turned sour as Birmingham ­fought back. It was inspired by ­Cameron Jerome, who is ­growing in stature during his club’s season of impressive consolidation among the elite.

The hitman took his tally for the season to eight goals in the 26th minute to spark off the recovery and then laid on the 52nd-minute equalizer for full-back Craig Gardner.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish said: “I am really ­delighted with Jerome’s form in recent games.

“ I have wanted him to get in where it hurts the opposition and he certainly did that on this occasion. I thought he led the line really well.

“This was the sort of resilient performance that has been the cornerstone of our season so far and I was also delighted with the form of goalkeeper Joe Hart, who made a number of fine saves.

“We did not heed the danger signs early on but we played much better in the second half.”

As for the Everton manager, he also praised Hart and felt his team still had a decent chance of grabbing a Europa League place. “I was ­disappointed with the result but not the performance ­overall,” said Moyes. “Their goalkeeper made some ­terrific saves.

“I always felt it would be a long way to go to get into ­Europe and it still is. We will keep doing everything we can to win matches.”

The game started slowly but Anichebe fired it into life in the 19th minute by accepting a pass from Phil Neville, ­turning his marker Liam Ridgewell and slamming a powerful shot into the corner of the net.

The sloppiness of the ­marking incensed ­Birmingham goalkeeper Hart who had ­previously made brilliant saves from Steven Pienaar and Tim Cahill. And he was not too happy with Everton’s second goal, just three minutes later.

Pienaar was given the time and space to cross from the right for Yakubu to head home unchallenged at the far post.

But it was far from over for Brum. In the 26th minute, Ridgewell atoned for his ­earlier gaffe by delivering a superb cross to a poorly marked Jerome.

The striker had his back to goal but decided on a ­speculative flick which was enough to deflect the ball through the legs of centre- back Phil Jagielka and past startled goalkeeper Tim ­Howard.

Birmingham survived a couple of strong penalty ­appeals just after the restart when first Roger Johnson was struck on the arm by a shot from Pienaar and then ­Gardner appeared to flick the ball into contact with his arm as he brought the ball out from defence.

They rode their luck, ­however, and in the 52nd minute, Gardner scored his first goal for Birmingham since his transfer window switch from Aston Villa.

A long clearance from Hart flew on to the head of Jerome and he delivered the ball ­perfectly into the path of Gardner who volleyed his shot inside the post.