| Venue: Ashton Gate, Bristol | League Cup | Wednesday 22 Sep 2004; 7:45pm |
|
| Stubbs
(og:49') Lita (53') |
Half Time: 0-2 Full Time: 2-2 Extra Time: 2-2 |
Ferguson (pen:31') Chadwick (44') |
| Murray
(1-0), Heffernan (2-1), Miller (3-2), |
Penalties: 3 - 4 |
Stubbs (2-2), Campbell (3-3), Carsley (3-4) |
| Attendance: 15,264 | (Round 2) | Referee: P Crossley |
|
David Moyes took this opportunity to give some of his other first-team squad players a chance to stretch their legs, given his reluctance to tinker with a league side that is performing so well. Wright, Yobo, Naysmith, McFadden and Ferguson get starts For Bristol City, ex-Blue Bradley Orr steps in to replace the player-manager Brian Tinnon. Naysmith went in the ref's notebook early on for taking a free kick before the ref's signal. Everton nearly scored from the next attempt. Naysmith very nearly got himself a second yellow with a rash late tackle but the ref thankfully showed some leniency after his petty first booking... Ferguson and Carsley then combined sloppily to give Roberts a good chance but Wright watched it fly wide. But Everton's early dominance was fading and they allowed Bristol to come at them worryingly. But at the other end Osman set off with the ball, one-two with McFadden, whose through-ball was handled by Jamie Smith. Duncan Ferguson stepped up and fired the ball in along the ground from the penalty spot... GOAL! Leon Osman was then withdrawn with Chadwick coming on in his place, raising concerns about a possible injury to the mercurial midfield midget. Yobo was looking rather rusty, setting up the opposition inadvertently all too often, rather than being his classy self. But at the other end, a free-kick from Gary Naysmith was whipped in to the box and there was Nick Chadwick nipping in with a great header for his first touch of the game! But it didn't take long after the start for Bristol City to get back in the game. A fast move down the Everton left, followed by a fierce incoming ball resulted in an own goal by Tim Cahill or Alan Stubbs under pressure from Christian Roberts. Then minutes later, Roberts got outside of Naysmith, cross from the right, met by Leroy Lita in there to jam it home for a dramatic equalizer. Everton looked shaky and stunned as Naysmith went down under pressure from Murray, and Yobo had to rescue with a block. City had the pace and off-the-ball movement that were making Everton look limited at best. Naysmith was eventually withdrawn for Pistone. Later, Campbell replaced the lumbering Ferguson for the last 10 mins and almost scored. Everton then had a gifted opportunity to seal it when McFadden, tussling for the ball, was scythed down and Everton were awarded their second penalty. James McFadden took the penalty firmly but it was parried back for McFadden to head it towards goal when Phillips produced a miraculous tip-over to deny the hapless Scot. Yobo met the resulting corner very well, forcing a third fabulous save from Phillips to keep Everton at bay. Campbell got the ball into the net from a great header off a corner in the closing moments but it was disallowed for something in the area. And so it was extra time, and much of the same... a good cup-tie perhaps for the neutrals but dire stuff for any committed Evertonians. The first period of extra-time was poor, with only a good chance for Chadwick to note. Another great save then prevented Stubbs from scoring as Everton showed some sort of life. Naysmith went in a little hard on the Bristol hero, Phillips and earned a card for his troubles, but set up a chance for Everton to later test the injured keeper; however it came to nothing as Everton struggled to regain their shape and take some of the chances they were creating. But Bristol City then got a chance to pressurize Everton with a dangerous free-kick that Wright stretched well to save to keep the Blues in with a shout as dreaded penalties loomed. Wright was again forced to save from Murray in Extra-Time injury time. And so to penalties: Murray sent Wright the wrong way; Watson's was saved well to his right. Lita hit the post; Cahill sent Phillips wrong way. Miller high to the right; Campbell fired home; Coles hit bar; and it was up to Carsley, with the last penalty kick to fire home coolly and claim Everton's first ever penalty shootout victory in the League Cup! |
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