Bradford lost away again - nothing new in that - and their Premiership days are really numbered now.

Six defeats on the trot, their 11th away reverse in their last 12 games, it's all gloom now for Bradford's scouser boss Paul Jewell.

Everton were two up early on through Mark Pembridge and a David Unsworth penalty, added a third after the break from Nicky Barmby with John Collins belting in the fourth in the dying minutes.

It was a cruise as they continued to make all the right noises about a potential place in the InterToto Cup. But in all honesty, they rarely had to raise themselves anywhere near top gear.

They were even able to bring back Francis Jeffers in the last 10 minutes, the youngster having missed a couple of months with knee trouble.

Sadly, Bradford's adventure in the top flight will end with a swift return to the Nationwide League.

Everton fans gave a rousing reception to the galaxy of ex-Goodison Park stars employed at Bradford - goalkeeping coach Neville Southall, Stuart McCall and Peter Beagrie. But that's where the friendship ended.

Two up inside 15 minutes and it could have been so many more. Bradford, spirited in patches, still looked like a side who know their fate.

The pre-match pleasantries over, Everton scored with their first attack in one minute, 14 seconds.

A sweeping move started on the right with Don Hutchison, and continued across the field via Stephen Hughes, youngster Phil Jevons and then into Mark Pembridge's path as he raced in on the left to drill a low shot into the far corner off Matt Clarke's hands.

David Weir struck a post with an unopposed header from 10 yards before Everton were two ahead on 15 minutes.

Hutchison fed the ball into Jevons' path as he ran into the box. The youngster pushed it wide of Clarke, and then tumbled over the keeper's dive. Unsworth drove home the spot-kick.

Bradford showed a desire to scrap, though, and were unlucky when Dean Saunders just failed to scramble home a Robbie Blake cross and then when Beagrie cracked a 20-yarder just over.

But with Jevons making his full Premiership debut, Everton were much more dangerous in attack than Bradford.

On 27 minutes Nicky Barmby broke down the right, laid the ball across for Mark Hughes to spin and crash in a 10-yarder that Clarke palmed out. Pembridge, racing in, managed to balloon his close-range effort over the bar, unable to adjust his run as the ball came careering back to him off the keeper.

Everton still managed to create a stream of decent chances, and Jevons had one laid on a plate for him by Mark Hughes after 32 minutes, but mishit his shot. The ball was scrambled for a corner, and when Pembridge's ball came in, Jevons rose to head wide of the far post.

Despite the Everton onslaught, Bradford kept running - particularly the veteran Saunders - and one of his curling crosses from the left was met by Gunnar Halle, who drove his cross-shot wide of the far post.

Jevons had another chance to score when John Collins put him clear, his shot on the turn just wide of the far post. The fact that Bradford were still in it at the break was due totally to Everton's wastefulness as the chances came and went.

The pattern was the same after the break, and Everton grabbed their third after 54 minutes. Stephen Hughes' through ball opened up the Yorkshiremen's defence and Barmby raced clear to calmly clip his shot wide of Clarke.

The game was over as a contest now, but Bradford still kept going, to their credit. When substitute Isaiah Rankin came on for the tiring Saunders, there was some instant pace.

And it took three fine point-blank saves from Paul Gerrard to protect the lead.

Twice Robbie Blake squirmed his way past defenders into the box, and twice Gerrard somehow got his body in the way of fierce, point-blank shots.

Then Rankin was also denied, this time when Gerrard had to dive at hie feet in the packed six-yard box.

And when Rankin hooked an effort wide from a yard, it was evident Bradford were finished. And that was before Collins lashed home the fourth with six minutes to go, when a Barmby cross was only partially cleared.

Teams:

Everton: Gerrard, Xavier (Ball 73), Weir, Unsworth (Dunne 45), Collins, Barmby, Hutchison, Pembridge, S. Hughes, Jevons, M. Hughes (Jeffers 78).

Subs Not Used: Cadamarteri, Simonsen.

Goals: Pembridge 2, Unsworth 15 pen, Barmby 54, Collins 82.

Bradford: Clarke, Halle, Wetherall, O'Brien, Jacobs (Dreyer 64), Blake, Beagrie, McCall, Sharpe, Windass, Saunders (Rankin 58).

Subs Not Used: Westwood, Whalley, Davison.

Booked: O'Brien, Blake.

Att: 30,646

Ref: P Alcock (Halstead).