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After a traumatic few weeks any sort of win would do so it is of great relief to finally see the lads pick up three points against an in-form Crystal Palace side.
Before I go off and celebrate, here are some points to ponder from the game:
Naismith and Lukaku's partnership
With troublemaker Samuel Eto'o out of the door there is now greater responsibility on the shoulders of Romelu Lukaku and Steven Naismith. Lukaku is a fine striker but will struggle without support, so it was encouraging to see him and Naismith link-up for the goal. The Belgian's decision making and first touch lets him down at times, but at 21 he can be forgiven. They both need to stay fit between now and the rest of the season.
Besic the beast!
He is already a cult hero, but Muhamed Besic's performances get better by the week. His all-action style endears him to the supporters anyway but his distribution and positioning were excellent today. He HAS to stay in the team when James McCarthy returns.
Increased defensive solidity
Everton's defending was woeful at the start of the season but today's win makes in consecutive clean sheets for the first time this season. The return to fitness of John Stones is crucial to this and he in turn has a positive effect on Phil Jagielka. Special mention has to go to Joel Robles though who may well keep his place when Tim Howard returns.
McGeady frustration
I do feel sorry for Aiden McGeady as it has got to the stage where the supporters are on his back before he's barely touched the ball. He doesn't help himself at times though as his decision making is poor. I don't think he was that bad today but some silly mistakes led to more criticism from the stands.
A corner turned?
Everton have made a habit this season of showing signs of improvement before plunging new depths the following week. With Liverpool and Chelsea to come they simply had to win today, but the hope is that the confidence gained from this hard earned win will act as perfect preparation for next Saturday's Merseyside derby and provide a platform for the rest of the season.