Everton stunned by late bolt from Holt

Norwich 2 Everton 1:David Moyes all but conceded the jig is up for Everton as far as Champions League qualification is concerned following his side's late capitulation. Everton are now six points behind the fourth-placed team, Tottenham, a gap that will be increased should the north London side win or draw against West Ham tonight.

“I think it’s going to be tough for us,” said Moyes. “There’s a lot of games to go and we have to see if we can try to win those games and see what happens. I think what we’ve got to try to do is hang in. It won’t be tight if we lose games like we did today, but we’ve got to try and keep going.”

Remonstrate with referee

Having offered his hand to the referee, Lee Mason, at full time, Moyes petulantly withdrew it and began remonstrating with the official over what he believed to be rogue added time, during which Grant Holt scored Norwich’s winner.

“I can’t understand why he plays three minutes 20 for the goal,” the clearly disgruntled manager bristled after the game. “If you add on three minutes added time for 45 minutes, I think 20 seconds sounds a big percentage to add on top of that. He’s got discretion to do what he likes, I disagree with his discretion today.”

Moyes might have been better served focusing on his side’s failure to deal with the introduction of the Norwich substitute Kei Kamara, who is on loan from the MLS side Sporting Kansas City and looks to the Premier League born. In the 39th minute Leon Osman rose unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box to head home a Leighton Baines cross from the left.

Norwich visibly wilted and Hughton sent on Kamara in place of Luciano Becchio just before the hour. The substitute scored with a thumping header from a corner, prompting Norwich to swarm forward. The winner came deep into injury time, with Kamara rising highest to knockdown from a Russell Martin outswinger. Holt reacted quickest to prod home and leave Everton’s manager seething.