Plymouth Argyle 0 - 5 Everton

Half-time: 0 - 3

Another trek down memory lane tonight takes Everton to Home Park, home of Plymouth Argyle, and the venue of an FA Cup scare back in the 80s.  Exeter City, who held the Blues to a 0-0 in the Cup last season, were on the wrong end of a 4-1 hammering last Saturday and tonight it is the turn of Plymouth Argyle to provide the stubborn resistance.  Everton should have enough guile tonight to ease past the Home Park outfit who now labour in mid-table in Division Three

Francis Jeffers will be missing tonight (and on Wednesday night versus Yeovil) as he returns home for family reasons.  Alessandro Pistone and Steve Watson look likely to start with Michael Ball also a candidate for return following recent injury.  Up front, Mark Hughes is likely to start even though he surely approaches his final curtain in Everton Royal Blue.

The strength of Alex Nyarko and Thomas Gravesen in central midfield should be enough to send those Evertonians present at Home Park off to the local hostelries in buoyant mood.  Scrumpy Jack anyone?

Tonight's local evening paper "The Herald", had a 4-page colour special featuring Gascoigne.  Crowds began to queue at 5pm.  Expectation from locals was high � and not for seeing the home side either.

Everton took 12 mins to break down the Argyle defence . Steve Watson was the provider, with Joe-Max Moore sliding in from a cross to open the scoreline.

Everton's second goal came from Gravesen picking up a loose ball out of midfield.  He looked up, saw Gascoigne running full pelt down the right-hand side, and floated a beautiful ball to the feet of Gascoigne, who saw Sheffield off his line.  From the edge of the box, he cleverly lobbed the keeper who could do no more than palm the ball into his own net.

The third goal came just before half-time, again Joe-Max Moore the scorer. After receiving an exquisite pass from Gazza, he turned on a sixpence and with his left foot 25-yds out, hit an unstoppable shot.

Half time: Plymouth Argyle 0 - Everton 3

The second half started with a goal within 1 minute. Nyarko with a virtual free header from a free kick. By this time, the heads of the Argyle defence were being to drop. In fact, Plymouth did not trouble Gerrard over the entire 90 minutes.

Everton on the 76th min, scored their 5th and final goal of the night � a Stephen Hughes' header from a cross by Everton's Man of the Match, Thomas Gravesen.

Overall, a good workout, with non-league Yeovil Town, our next opponents. The real test however, will be on Saturday, when we take on Manchester City at Goodison Park.

The England international struck in the 27th minute, hammering a wonderful angled volley 25-yards past goalkeeper Jon Sheffield, arrowing into the top corner to open his account for the club.

Gazza�s marvellous goal was sandwiched by a brace from striker Joe-Max Moore, who will be leading Walter Smith�s front line as the new season starts, due to Kevin Campbell�s injury.

After turning in Steve Watson�s right-sided cross just 12 minutes in, the American matched Gascoigne with a ferocious drive which flew into the net.

New signing Alex Nyarko continued his fine pre-season, hitting his second goal for the club shortly after half-time. The big Ghanian, signed from Lens in the summer, rose highest to head home fellow new boy Thomas Gravesen�s free-kick.

Former Arsenal midfielder Stephen Hughes rounded off the comfortable victory, tapping into the empty net after Sheffield could only palm out Gravesen�s powerful header.

Everton were already 1-0 up when Gascoigne beat keeper Jon Sheffield with a superb dipping volley from out on the right-hand touch-line which probably travelled 35 yards before finishing in the opposite corner.

Sheffield managed to get a palm to the ball but there was no stopping Gascoigne's 27th-minute opportunist strike.

Everton took the lead in the 12th minute when American international striker Joe-Max Moore converted Steve Watson's cross from the right.

Gascoigne then set up Moore for Everton's third goal in the 45th minute. Moore spun off his marker before letting fly with a 25-yard drive that gave Sheffield no chance.

In the 47th minute Alex Nyarko headed home Thomas Gravesen's free-kick.

Gravesen was also involved in Everton's fifth goal, heading a powerful cross which Sheffield could only parry into the path of Stephen Hughes who snuffled up his chance from close-range.

Gascoigne left the field in the 75th minute to a standing ovation from most of the 13,838 crowd, who had packed in to Home Park.