For much of the 1998-99 Premier League campaign, all those connected with Everton were gripped by the threat of relegation.
It was a slog for Walter Smith's men, who by the middle of February had scored just three goals from their 12 matches in front of their supporters at Goodison Park.
However, all that changed 16 years ago today when 10th-placed Middlesbrough made the trip to Merseyside.
Toothless in front of goal up until that point, it took the hosts just 60 seconds to break the deadlock. Don Hutchison released Francis Jeffers down the left flank and it was the striker's cross that was turned in by former Boro winger Nick Barmby.
The visiting fans had jeered Barmby early on, but they gave up when he doubled his team's lead in the 16th minute. Hutchison was again the creator, slotting a pass through for the England international, who lifted the ball over an advancing Mark Schwarzer.
In response, Boro had two opportunities to reduce the arrears, but on both occasions Danish striker Mikkel Beck was unable to get the better of Everton goalkeeper Thomas Myhre.
Beck's failure to find the net was duly punished after the restart as the Toffees scored the third goal of the contest, with Schwarzer at fault. The Aussie failed to hold Hutchison's effort in the 62nd minute and French midfielder Olivier Dacourt pounced to fire in from close range.
Five minutes later it was 4-0 as Italian centre-back Marco Materazzi scored his first Premier League goal for the club from a set-piece situation.
The scoring was then completed in the 74th minute by another defender as Hutchison exchanged passes with Tony Grant, before swinging in a cross that was headed in by David Unsworth in the centre of the goal.
It sealed what was only Everton's third home victory of the season, as well as more than doubling their goal tally at Goodison Park. What's more, it ended a sequence of seven Premier League outings without a win.
Speaking briefly to reporters after the final whistle, Everton boss Smith said: "We were very pleased to get that win."
EVERTON: Myhre; Ball, Unsworth, Materazzi, Dunne; Oster, Hutchison, Grant, Dacourt, Barmby; Jeffers
BORO: Schwarzer; Gordon, Vickers, Pallister, Cooper; Stockdale, Mustoe, Gascoigne, Townsend; Beck, Campbell
Liam Apicella
