Everton today blew a good chance to all-but-secure seventh spot for the second year running, failing to see off a poor Wolves side at Molineux.

Everton dominated the first half, with a flying-V attack of Nikica Jelavic, James McFadden and Marrouane Fellaini meeting little resistance from the Wolves back-line. And as has been customary since his return to the Everton side in February, Steven Pienaar was nimbly pulling the strings with skill and incisive passing.

At times it seemed as though Everton weren’t accustomed to being on the front-foot away from home, but the impetus was theirs against Terry Connor’s men, whose mind seemed to be in next season’s Championship.

The Blues can feel somewhat hard done by, given Jelavic’s great goal, finished with trademark certainty, was wrongly disallowed for offside. That goal, had it stood, might have smashed Wolves’ brittle resistance and provided a springboard for the visitors to score a few more.

The linesman’s flag would prove one of Everton’s most resolute enemies, with a player in blue being caught on the wrong side of the line eight times during the game. Whether this was clever play by the Wolves defence or a lack of concentration from Everton’s front men is something manager David Moyes will need to think about.

Before the break, Fellaini should have done much better with a header from a McFadden cross, the Scot showing signs today that he might rediscover match fitness if David Moyes allows him to stay beyond the summer.

But after going in with a telling 60-40 possession advantage, the Blues weren’t ready for a rejuvenated Wolves in the second half. Having been given so much time and space early on, Everton struggled to get into the final third as much as they had earlier, with lazy passing and few new ideas, and ultimately failure to adapt to a much improved opposition.

Jelavic should have done better with a good chance which he dragged wide from 18 yards, before Denis Stracqualursi, much quieter since his early-2012 purple patch, had a goal rightly disallowed for Fellaini’s offside position.

Everton’s startling record of losing only three in the last 22 in all competitions continues, but the return of their failure to see off lesser teams- in this case, and already relegated side who have been poor all season- is unwelcome given that they seemed to have shaken that bad habit over the last few weeks.

Though they will still be favourites to take seventh and finish above rivals Liverpool, Everton really should have made certain of it this afternoon, and will have to take a point off the ever-impressive Newcastle back at Goodison to make sure of being Merseyside’s top team this year.

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