Everton produced an impressive comeback to beat BATE Borisov 2-1 and make it two wins out of two in Europa League Group I on a predictably cold night in Minsk.

Second half goals from Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill were enough to secure victory after a wonder strike by Dmitriy Likhtarovich had put the Belarussian team ahead early on.

Everton's squad was down to the bare bones through various injuries, as Tony Hibbert was forced to play at centre back and the substitutes bench was filled with youngsters.

With the exception of 36-year-old goalkeeper Carlo Nash, the average age of the bench was just shy of 18.

Toffee's boss David Moyes had warned his players not to take their hosts lightly, as last season BATE competed in the UEFA Champions League, earning respectable draws at home and away to Italian giants Juventus.

The contest began slowly, both teams trying to feel each other out and gain a better idea of how the other was going to play.

The first real chance of the match came in the 12th minute and fell to the away side, Russian winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov crashing a strike against the post after a good move involving Yakubu.

Then just a few minutes later the deadlock was broken, and in some style. A cross was blocked by Cahill and fell to Likhtarovich, who surprised everyone by firing the ball straight into the top corner from all of 35 yards, giving Tim Howard no chance.

Ten minutes later Cahill had a great opportunity to equalise, but could only scuff his shot wide after being set up by good work from strike duo Yakubu and Jo.

The home side were enjoying the vast majority of possession in the opening period, but couldn't find a way through to double their lead, despite giving Dan Gosling a torrid time down the Everton right hand side, but the English side held firm and kept the deficit to one at half-time.

However, in the second half BATE's stranglehold on the game tightened as Aleksandr Pavlov and Sergei Krivets both wasted good chances to score when the ball came to them in the box. BATE were having all the possession at the Haradzki Stadium, and it seemed only a matter of time before they went two up.

However, despite all the pressure the makeshift Everton defence were holding firm and were soon rewarded for their efforts at the other end when a Leighton Baines cross was headed home at the back post by Fellaini in the 68th minute.

The tempo of the game soon swung in the Toffees' direction and just nine minutes later they were ahead. Cahill, who had been kept quiet most of the night, stole in to loft the ball into the net after Bilyaletdinov had flicked on Jo's cross.

The remaining 13 minutes was almost constant pressure from BATE to get what would have been a deserved equaliser, but their play began to lose it's previous elegance and became desperate.

Vitali Rodionov and Igor Stasevich both went close with late attempts but it was not enough to deny Everton, who obtained their second successive win in the competition and go top of Group I.

BATE Borisov: (4-4-2) Veremko, Yurevich, Shitov, Sosnovskiy, Bordachov, Pavlov (Volodko 78), Likhtarovich (Goaryan 81), Krivets, Rodionov, Nekhaychik, Skavysh (Stasevich 29).

Everton: (4-4-2) Howard, Gosling, Hibbert, Distin, Baines, Osman, Cahill, Fellaini, Bilyaletdinov (Baxter 90), Yakubu (Agard 80), Jo.