Premiership: Birmingham City 0 - 1 Everton

The clocks have gone back, but finally Everton move forward. There have been many gloomy moments for David Moyes during the past three months, but the Everton manager saw a chink of light here as his side recorded only their second Premiership win of the season to climb off the bottom of the table and inflict more misery on Birmingham City, whose dreadful home form continues.

Only Liverpool out of the visiting teams have failed to pick up three points at St Andrew's this season - a woeful record that is beginning to test the patience of Birmingham supporters who greeted a fourth successive League defeat with a chorus of boos.

Steve Bruce needs no telling that the unequivocal backing he continues to enjoy from the boardroom will count for little if the fans begin to turn and there were signs of unrest.

It is not only the results that bring cause for concern but the performances too, with confidence visibly lacking in a team who, on this evidence, face a fight for Premiership survival.

Everton might have harboured similar fears beforehand, but a precious three points, courtesy of Simon Davies's first goal for the club, have convinced Moyes that his side can set higher ambitions.

They deserved victory after creating the better opportunities in a turgid match, though there was more than a touch of fortune about the goal. Davies's 30-yard drive was struck with power, but Maik Taylor will be bitterly disappointed that he failed to keep it out at the near post.

'It's like Groundhog Day,' said Bruce, Birmingham's manager. 'We don't want to be in the bottom three and you can imagine what the mood in the camp is like. We are thoroughly fed up with the situation, but it's only us who can get us out of it.

'We all know the score in management,' Bruce added. 'You lose five or six games at home like we have and you are under pressure, but I have to get through it and hope that it turns.

'Everton's season could have turned with a horrible goalkeeping mistake by Maik Taylor.'

That is certainly the hope of Moyes, who was rewarded for his bold team selection. Duncan Ferguson partnered James Beattie in attack, while Mikel Arteta and Andy van der Meyde, making his first Everton start, offered penetration on the flanks.

'The players needed that result,' said Moyes. 'We knew the importance of the game.

'We set our stall out to get three points and I don't think we could have put out a more attacking team.'

Birmingham's best opening fell to Neil Kilkenny, who, having impressed after replacing Nicky Butt early on, struck the foot of a post with a curling free-kick midway through the second half.

However, it was Everton who carried the greater threat. Tim Cahill was earlier denied by Maik Taylor, who turned the Australian's header around the post, while late on the Birmingham goalkeeper thwarted first Beattie and then Ferguson from close range.

Unfortunately for hapless Birmingham, he proved a little more vulnerable from distance.

Man of the match: Joseph Yobo - commanding in central defence.