FA Cup 4th Round, Saturday 27 January, 1996; Goodison Park, Merseyside
Previous Match: Arsenal v Everton Next Match: Southampton v Everton
Everton (1) 2 Port Vale (0) 2 — REPLAY: Port Vale v Everton
Amokachi 40, Ferguson 88; Bogie 90, Foyle 59.
Everton: (4-4-2) Southall, Watson, Ablett (Hinchcliffe 62), Stuart, Ferguson, Horne, Amokachi (Limpar 62), Ebbrell, Kanchelskis, Parkinson, Short. Subs Not Used: Kearton. Booked: Short.
Port Vale: (4-4-2) Musselwhite, Hill (Bogie 46), Tankard, Walker, Griffiths, Aspin, McCarthy, Porter, Foyle, Naylor, Guppy. Subs Not Used: Mills, Van Heusden. Booked: Griffiths, Bogie.
Att: 33,168
Ref: M Reed (Birmingham).
Guy McEvoy: You would have thought that we would have learnt something from our experience against Stockport; you would have thought that a team that dispatched Arsenal at Highbury would have little trouble against a lower division team at home. Unfortunately though, this is Everton, and logical thought sadly does not inevitably lead to logical conclusion. This is the fact upon which the "magic" of the FA Cup is based and which serves to give us all heart palpitations.
The only slight change from the team that beat Arsenal last week was that Andy Hinchcliffe replaced David Unsworth on the bench, probably in response to their respective performances in the reserves last week rather than any great tactical thinking.
Like the Arsenal game, the team was straight away weathering a mini storm with Vale creating two decent chances in the first five minutes, the first a shot headed over, the second after a piece of confident ball juggling by their number 7, who worked his way past his marker and struck a sweet volley that was cleared off the line more by accident than good judgement.
However, the Goodison crowd was calmed a little when Everton decided to finally start playing the game and hit them with a fast break from Kanchelskis, a fluent move from the Ukrainian, the only problem being the weak finish. The sight at goal though defiantly lifted us and started to cause doubt amongst the Vale players - one defender gifting Ferguson a chance when his ill-thought backpass fell straight to Dunc's feet with only the keeper to pass. Again, the finish let us down.
We were trying to play the game with a touch of arrogance, lots of possession and attempts at patient build-up. Unfortunately though we were becoming over patient, promising runs into space were being made but players instead persisted in playing the easy, but going nowhere, kind of pass. Possession alone does not make goals, it's shots that do that, and it was Vale that managed the more serious of those. Their winger (who had the beating of Ablett) forged two good chances by playing the ball into the box (a novel idea, perhaps Everton should have taken note). The second split us wide open and left an open goal for the attacker. Fortunately he managed to defy physics and place it over from about five yards. A collective sigh of relief filled Goodsion.
There was a further sigh of relief later after work by Ammo had forced a corner. Dave Watson met it with a goal bound header, and forced a brilliant save by the keeper, Ammo was first to reach the high rebound and nod in his fifth goal of the season giving us the half time lead. It was at that point in the game certainly more than we deserved.
When the second half started I really thought Joe had said his piece and the jitters had gone. We came out fired up and made some positive attempts at goal. Our first effort required divine intervention to keep out, Fergusons snap shot hit the post, Ammos follow up hit the same post, someone else's follow up to that was cleared off the line and then Ammo was adjudged to have handballed what should have been another simple opportunity. In the space of 30 seconds we had had more serious chances at goal than we had in the entire first half.
Port Vale though showed spirit and managed to get an equaliser after good work down their left saw their man on the break come up with a curious toe poke cross that was met by the head of the bloke who missed the sitter earlier on. Nev was left to pick it out the net. We were left with a curious feeling of deja vous.
Inevitably, the crowd was by now getting extremely irritable. A lot of names were being called, and it was with relief to a good proportion of blues fans that Ablett was withdrawn and replaced by Hinchcliffe. At the same time Ammo made way for Limpar. I was curious about the Ammo decision as I felt his strength was starting to get the better of the Port Vale defenders.
Indeed Limpar quickly attracted the attention of Vales big men and spent a lot of time on the floor, however, a few free kicks resulted as did a half shout for a penalty (from where I was sitting he was clearly held!). Ebbrell forged a couple of chances and Hinchcliffe started to establish himself but in all honesty I thought we were headed for a replay.
Then we got one of those goals that comes in gift-wrap paper. Limpar took the ball to the corner flag and whipped in a bread and butter cross. The keeper took what looked an easy catch then lost his grip and dropped the ball onto big Duncan's feet. 2-1. Everton looked to have robbed it at the last. The crowd started to mill out, satisfied that we had the victory.
I remember thinking: Thank God I didn't have to go down to Stoke for the replay and only being vaguely aware that they had suddenly broken free, I looked up just in time to see the ball bobble to a Vale player on the edge of the box and him hurling a sort of half power lob shot, I didn't see the deflection, I watched Nev's desperate backward leap, and then there was that terrible slow realisation about what had just occurred. That damn trip to Port Vale was back on!
So we have to go through it all again in 11 days. In fairness to Vale, like Stockport, on balance of play they deserved their result.
I'm all in favour of the magic of the Cup for lower division teams and everything, I just wish they wouldn't keep doing it to us.
Individual Performances
Nev 7 - Good save early on, but living on luck a couple of times,
nothing he could have done about the second.
Short 6 - Doesn't look as comfortable in this 3 man line-up as he
does with the back 4.
Watson 8 - Solid; defender of the day.
Ablett 5 - Again moves seemed to break down once they reached him.
Also seemed to be well whipped by McCarthy particularly in the first half.
Parki, Horne, Ebbrell 7 - Tackled well and made sure
that none of the Vale attacks was going down the middle. Of the three Ebbrell
probably had the best game.
Stuart 7 - Again, he never stopped running all game, though didn't
make himself the chances he has been.
Amokachi 7 - I thought he played OK, showed a decent understanding
with Kanchelskis and showed his strength. It's interesting to watch the
difference between his style and Limpars, he's actually playing in a position
he looks comfortable in now.
Kanchelskis 7- Caused plenty of problems particularly in the first
half, noticeably quieter once Ammo had gone off. Finishing and crossing skill
unfortunately did not match his control.
Ferguson 7 - I guess that his showing can best be described as a
"Rideout-like" performance. Make of that what you will.
Hinchcliffe 7 - looked more comfortable than Ablett, dead ball touch
still hasn't returned though.
Limpar 7 - Caused a few problems, I guess he takes the credit for
our second.
The Sunday Times: EVERTON should have known better. After defeating Stockport in the previous round with a goal immediately after their opponents scored, Everton got a taste of their own medicine from Port Vale. The holders could only watch as a weak shot from Bogie helped to secure a replay for the First Division side after Ferguson's effort appeared to have put Everton into the next round.
Everton were often out-thought and outplayed by the First Division side, and yet had snatched an undeserved lead with barely two minutes remaining when Ferguson poked home after Musselwhite, the Vale keeper, had dropped the ball. The visitors will now believe there is a just God, however, after the substitute Bogie's shot was carried into the net.
Everton started as though the ice gripping so much of the country had blocked their pipes. Vale, on the other hand, were positively tropical from the kick-off. The impish Naylor posted notice within the first minute of their intentions with two shots, both wide, that silenced any enthusiasm still coursing through the Everton supporters' veins on this Siberian afternoon.
Everton had huffed and puffed against lowly Stockport County and looked dangerously close to going out of the competition before emerging somewhat embarrassed into the fourth round.
This game followed a similar pattern. The visitors should have been ahead by the interval and will wonder for years why they were not. They spurned two chances that Ferguson, standing frozen to the spot at the other end, would have killed for.
In Cup ties, missed chances generally culminate in a missed boat. It was Amokachi who suggested that could be the case with a simple goal from a rare Everton adventure into opposition territory after 40 minutes.
Amokachi warmed his spirits by winning a corner. Stuart delivered it with precision. Watson was allowed to head powerfully towards goal and even though Musselwhite performed acrobatics to keep it out, the Nigerian forward was handily placed virtually on the line to head the ball into the net.
The moral was clear even at that stage: you must take the opportunities that come your way. Foyle, the Vale centre-forward, was probably digesting such information at half-time after he somehow contrived to put the ball over the bar from one yard. In his defence, the chance came quickly and he saw it late, but in the FA Cup against supposed superior opposition, these chances have to be taken.
It was McCarthy on the right who troubled Everton's vulnerable back line once more with a break down the right and an intelligent cross that Watson touched, but could not clear. That touch seemed to put Foyle off at the far post as he toe-poked the ball into the air instead of into the gaping goal.
Earlier, Vale had allowed a similar opportunity to go unconverted when the Everton defence again parted in biblical fashion. McCarthy had done well to beat both Ablett and Short in the box and give himself a relatively straightforward route to goal.
His shot was clean but Ebbrell, standing on the line, waved a foot and diverted the ball away from goal.
In the conditions, you would have expected Kanchelskis, a Ukranian, to be untroubled, perhaps even revelling in the biting cold. The opposite was true as he looked leaden and indecisive, twice denying teammates in better scoring positions when he meandered on a dreamy route. So much for horses for courses.
After the interval, Everton became as profligate as Vale when, after a game of pinball in the six-yard box, first Ferguson and then Amokachi guided the ball against the same post when it looked easier to score. In return Vale made them pay, marching down to the other end and equalising.
Vale were producing more of the sort of football that a packed Goodison Park had paid good money to see. They swept the ball down the left wing through Tankard and Guppy before Naylor crossed to allow Foyle to atone for his earlier crime with a diving header of grace and accuracy to hammer the ball past Southall.
Soon after, Musselwhite was again called in to spectacular service to deny Stuart, and Tankard completed the job with a desperate lunge on the line.
Richard Marland: Yet again, we experienced a very uncomfortable afternoon at the hands of lower division opposition in the FA Cup. Port Vale, like Stockport before them, brought a large boisterous following, and had done their homework, making good use of our vulnerability on the flanks.
Despite the snow covering across Merseyside, the pitch looked in excellent condition. Vale started at a gallop, giving us a foretaste of things to come, and we were soon on the defensive. Yet again we looked insecure at the back, and yet again the flanks were the problem, Barry Horne was clearly unhappy at right back, and Gary Ablett had something of a stinker at left back.
After 10 minutes or so we started to come into the game ourselves, and the first half became an honest to goodness, end to end cup tie. Chances were carved out at both ends, Andrei had a clear site of goal after a typical cut inside, but failed to connect properly and hit a weak shot straight at the goalie; Dunc was put through on the goalie but shot wide. However, the best chance of the half fell to Port Vale. Gary Ablett was skinned down our left, the winger advanced and put in a good low cross which evaded everyone except for their number 9 who stole in, unmarked, at the back post. Faced with an open goal he contrived to put it wide. An amazing let off for us.
The game had been threatening a goal and five minutes before half time it finally came, and it went our way. We won a corner which Graham Stuart took. All our previous corners had failed to put Port Vale under any pressure at all, finally, though, Stuart got his delivery right and found the head of Dave Watson who powered in a header. It looked to be going in, just under the bar, but their goalie made an amazing save, however, he could only push the ball up in the air and Amo met it with his head as it came down. 1-0 to us and a barely deserved half time leader.
The second half brought a tactical switch, Parkinson going to right back and Horne returning to midfield. Judging by the way we started, half time also brought a major rollicking in the dressing room. We were soon on the attack and there was a distinctly more purposeful air about us. Within minutes we had forced a corner on our right. Stuart took it and after a bit of pinball it fell to Dunc, facing away from goal, he swivelled and got in a goal bound shot which came back off the post, Amo was following up and the rebound came straight to him, however, it tucked him up a bit and all he could was put it back onto the same post, this time the ball fell to Ablett who hammered in a shot which was cleared off the line. Their goal was starting to lead a charmed life.
After our initial flurry, Port Vale started to come back into the game and it was no great surprise when they got their deserved equaliser. The problems again came from the flank, the winger got away down our right, put a cross in and their centre forward stole in between Watson and Ablett to put a diving header past Southall.
A change in Everton personnel wasn't long coming, Hinchcliffe on for the struggling Ablett, and Limpar for the unfortunate Amokachi. Limpar went wide left and Stuart came back into the middle. We started to look lively again, with Stuart seemingly relishing his return to the middle. John Ebbrell was put through on goal, unfortunately he was forced onto his weaker left foot and he pulled his shot wide.
Their goal then had another amazing escape. In a crowded penalty area, John Ebbrell had a snap shot cleared off the line by a defender, as the ball bounced around in the six yard box, confusion reigned between the goalie and one of his defenders, the goalie pushed the ball onto the defender and the ball rebounded off him towards the goal, the defender had to be quick to hook the ball off the line.
The goal we had been threatening finally came in the last minute. From the left hand touchline Limpar swung over a cross, it was too close to the goalie but the goalie made a hash of a simple catch under his bar and managed to drop the ball at Dunc's feet, Dunc said thank you very much and buried the ball. Relief all round as we assumed that that was it.
However, Port Vale weren't done for yet. With their last attack of the game, the ball was swung in from our right. The ball was cleared by an Everton head but fell to a Port Vale player outside the box. Short and Ebbrell attempted to charge down his shot but they weren't quite quick enough and the ball struck one of them and arced over Southall's head into the net. What a last minute and what a roller coaster cup run this is turning out to be.
The parallels with the Stockport game are quite striking. Twice we took the lead and were unable to hold on. In both games we had problems down our flanks.
Both games were games we could have lost but didn't really deserve to. We played better against Port vale than we had against Stockport, but Port Vale were a much better side than Stockport. All in all Vale thoroughly deserved their replay and we can be assured of another uncomfortable evening in the replay. It is to be hoped that Hottiger will be available for the replay, we desperately need an out and right back, and it is be hoped that one of our left backs finds some form.
Southall 7 No chance with the goals; one dodgy clearance that gave
them a chance; nearly caught in possession once.
Horne 6 Clearly uncomfortable at right back, didn't do much in midfield
when he was moved there.
Ablett 5 Very poor, beaten all ends up by his winger on several occasions,
distribution very poor.
Watson 8 Solid as a rock, nothing got past him, made some crucial
blocks, good header lead to our goal, my man of the match.
Short 7 Another solid game from someone who is becoming consistently
reliable.
Ebbrell 8 Barely put a foot wrong, came close to scoring on 2 occasions.
Parkinson 6 Not at his best, made a better job of right back than
Barry Horne but he is no right back.
Kanchelskis 6 Threat was always there but rarely materialised. Messed
up on his one siting of goal.
Stuart 7 Wasted out on the left, still did alright but not as involved
as he has been. Much more involved when he was moved to the centre after
the substitution.
Ferguson 7 Played well, had the better of his marker, lots of nice
touches and layoffs, hit the post and scored. Showing the benefit of a run
of games.
Amokachi 7 Typical Amo game, caused them loads of problems and finally
got the goal he has deserved. Unlucky to be substituted, but it was the right
decision in order to keep the shape of the team.
Subs
Hinchcliffe 6 Not on long, but looked more comfortable than
Gary Ablett.
Limpar 5 Seemed to have difficulty keeping his feet. Didn't do much,
even the cross for the goal didn't deserve a goal. had a good penalty shout
turned down, he definitely seemed to be fouled but you never really know
with Anders.
Team 6 Yet another fitful performance. Defence dodgy due to problems on the flanks, attack never really fired. We got by on guts and resilience.
By Derek Potter, Electronic Telegraph
JUST when it seemed that Duncan Ferguson had got Everton out of jail, so to speak, with his first goal at Goodison Park this season, up popped Ian Bogie with the equaliser 15 seconds from the final whistle.
Bogie? Port Vale? Football may not have heard the last of them this season. It was an uneasy tie for the Cup holders with its second chance for the second time this season.
Everton have already ridden out storms (or ridden their luck?) in the third round and the replay against Stockport County from the Second Divison.
When Ferguson rapped in his fourth goal since the disruption caused by his detention and sundry injuries, Everton were surely snugly set up for today's fifth-round draw. Lucky, but in the hat.
Even though they had showed enormous defensive spirit and considerable invention in midfield and down the flanks, two minutes was hardly long enough for any team to hit back. Except for Bogie and Port Vale.
Substitute Bogie, once hailed as the new Gazza at Newcastle United and much-travelled since, drove towards Neville Southall's goal looking an unlikely hero.
Bogie's shot from almost 25 yards was harmless, but it hit John Ebbrell and looped viciously over Southall's head and under the bar.
"We've been practising that all week!" said John Rudge, the longest-serving manager in the League after Dario Gradi at Crewe Alexandra.
Bogie admitted: "We thought the game was over. I just hit the ball more in hope than expectation. If it hadn't hit Ebbrell, Neville would have saved it easily."
Dave Watson was in the thick of it when Everton scored after 39 minutes. His header was knocked up into the air by Paul Musselwhite and Daniel Amokachi nodded in his fifth goal of a topsy-turvy season. Earlier Vale had seen seen shots by Tony Naylor and Martin Foyle deflected when they could have gone anywhere.
Ebbrell saved another shot on the line from Jon McCarthy and Foyle missed the gift of the day from two yards in a recipe for disaster.
Everton fans have become a grumpy lot. They clearly sensed problems, but when Feguson struck, all was forgiven.
Everton should have done it a minute into the second half with Ferguson, Amokachi and Gary Ablett hitting defenders or the wooodwork in one frenzied blur.
"That was our main chance, but so many players were off colour - we have to be pleased to be still in the Cup," said Joe Royle.
"They gave us problems throughout and deserved their second chance. They were alwyas dangerous on the breakaways. We might have been worse than we were against Stockport."
Foyle's equaliser more than made up for his unfortunate miss. Naylor slinked down the left, crossed with the outside of his right foot and Foyle dived in to claim a memorable if not classic equaliser with his head.
Everton fans have become a grumpy lot. They clearly sensed problems, but when Feguson struck, all was forgiven. You could sense the "Wembley here we come" feeling from fans who like to feel that their heroes names were on the cup yet again. Anders Limpar did the damage, curling a cross that Musselwhite fluffed, and the big Scot is too experienced a hand to miss that kind of chance.
Port Vale were a team of unlikely lads. Veteran Neil Aspin and Gareth Griffiths, the central defenders recruited at a combined cost of little more than £1,000, were the foundation. Aspin has just returned after months nursing a dislocated shoulder and Griffiths was rushed back after injury to face the feared Ferguson.
They missed tackles and headers, they miscued clearances, but neither gave up against Ferguson and Amokachi, who cost Everton somewhere around £7.5 million.
For Griffiths, from Rhyl and a confessed Everton fan, it was the day of his life. With power to add in the replay.
Electronic Telegraph is a Registered Service Mark of The Telegraph plc
By Peter Ball in The Times
IF EVERTON are to become only the fourth team to retain the FA Cup this century, they will have done it the hard way. On Saturday, for the second round in succession, they failed to dispose of Endsleigh Insurance League opposition at Goodison Park, Port Vale more than earning their draw in a dramatic finale.
So, after Stockport, Burslem. "We're going by the scenic route this time," Joe Royle, the Everton manager, quipped as he contemplated the fourth-round replay on Wednesday week. "Last year we were powerful at home, but we probably played worse today than we did against Stockport here."
That is a warning for Port Vale, since Everton won at Edgeley Park after making a terrible fist of things at Goodison. Judged on Saturday's performance, though, Port Vale have only their opponents' greater height to fear. The only time Everton looked dangerous was from corners and free kicks, when Dave Watson, their outstanding player, Ablett and Short came forward to join Duncan Ferguson in aerial assaults.
It produced one goal, and some near misses, Ferguson and Amokachi hitting the same post after one corner, with Ablett's follow-up effort blocked on the line, but otherwise Port Vale stood firm.
Aspin, who played through the second half with a hamstring injury, was outstanding, bald head gleaming in the floodlights as he held the fort determinedly, and alongside him, Griffiths was resolute. The £1,000 buy from Rhyl had been drafted in as someone who, at 6ft 4in, could meet the £4 million Ferguson eyeball to eyeball, and he did so nobly, in spite of picking up a yellow card after only eight minutes.
"He's by far the strongest lad I've played against. I wouldn't fancy playing him every week," Griffiths said. "But it was a good experience, and I don't mind doing it one more time."
Ferguson and the tall defenders apart, Everton had nothing to offer. Stuart was anonymous, Kanchelskis's touch deserted him, and only Amokachi gave any sign of quality in attack. If Royle's desire to give his side greater width made bringing on Limpar understandable, taking off Amokachi was an extraordinary decision.
Port Vale, by contrast, rose to the occasion with relish. "You see these games against Stockport and Port Vale, and you think it's laughable, but when you have to play them it's not so funny," Limpar said.
Guppy and McCarthy ran riot down the wings so that, by the hour, Everton had changed both full backs, Parkinson swapping with Horne at half-time and Hinchcliffe coming on to replace Ablett, who had a bad afternoon defensively. If the finishing of Foyle and Naylor had matched their movement and touch in the build-up, Port Vale could have had the game safely won by half-time.
But Ebbrell blocked McCarthy's shot on the line after the winger had beaten both Ablett and Short, and, after McCarthy had left Stuart bemused, his perfect, low cross, deflected by Short, was put over the bar from less than five yards by Foyle. "It hit my shin-pad," the striker said. Instead, after Ferguson, too, had missed an easy chance, Everton took the lead, Amokachi forcing a corner and then scoring from it.
"We always knew we were going to be struggling with their height and power at set-pieces, so we had said: 'Try not to give set-pieces away,' " John Rudge, the Port Vale manager said.
Musselwhite got to Watson's header but could only knock it up and, as it came down, Amokachi rose highest to head home from under the bar. He is lethal from a yard in Cup-ties, as Tottenham will remember.
For Port Vale to go in behind at half-time was unjust; if Everton had scored again when Ferguson, Amokachi and Ablett had their chance from another corner a minute after the interval, it would have been a travesty, but the ball stayed out for Port Vale to claim the equaliser they deserved from a move of a quality that Everton never threatened to match. The ball flowed down the left, from Guppy to Tankard, to Guppy to Naylor, whose perfect cross enabled Foyle to make amends with a flying header.
As the game moved towards its close and the chill of a frozen afternoon grew deeper, so that the snowflakes which had drifted slowly across Goodison Park at the start disappeared, that seemed likely to be that. But there was high drama to come.
With two minutes remaining, Musselwhite, until then one of Vale's solid defenders, committed a schoolboy howler, dropping Limpar's innocuous cross at Ferguson's feet. "I might have taken my eye off it," the goalkeeper said. "A mistake like that I just wanted the ground to swallow me up."
Help, though, was at hand in the form of Guppy and Ian Bogie, who had come on to play in midfield when Porter dropped back to replace the injured Hill.
With the game as good as over, Guppy's cross was headed out to Bogie. His optimistic shot hit Ebbrell and then, the jackpot, the ball looping off the defender and over Southall into the net. "We'd been practising that move all week," Rudge said.
PA News Summary: A goal after 40 minutes by Nigerian international striker Daniel Amokachi gave Everton some badly-needed breathing space in a stirring FA Cup tie against lowly first division side Port Vale. The holders survived a series of first-half scares and could easily have found themselves a goal down when Martin Foyle blazed over the Everton bar with the goal at his mercy after 35 minutes.
Substitute Ian Bogie turned Port Vale's despair to joy in a matter of seconds as he snatched a dramatic equaliser in a stirring fourth round FA Cup tie at Goodison. Duncan Ferguson looked to have booked Everton's place in the fifth round when he drilled the FA Cup holders ahead from close range in the 88th minute after Vale keeper Paul Musselwhite fumbled Anders Limpar's cross. But the first division strugglers went straight down to the other end of the pitch and equalised almost before Everton's celebrations had ended.
Bogie proved the Merseysiders' bogeyman with a speculative 35-yard shot that deflected off a defender to loop over the stranded Neville Southall and into the Everton net. It was no more than Vale deserved after playing their full part in a thrilling cup-tie that survived the ravages of the big freeze thanks to Goodison's undersoil heating.
Everton had taken the lead after 40 minutes when Graham Stuart floated in a corner from the right and skipper Dave Watson rose to head powerfully towards the Vale goal. Musselwhite made a fine save, tipping the ball one-handed into the air, but as it fell, Daniel Amokachi was on hand to force it over the line from close range. But Vale found themselves back on terms after 59 minutes, Martin Foyle stooping to meet a fine cross from Tony Naylor with a rising header into the roof of the Everton net.
Vale had set off at a frightening pace and Everton had been relieved to see Naylor's shot from Steve Guppy's cross rebound off Watson for a corner in the second minute. Two minutes later Jon McCarthy had a shot from a tight angle cleared off the line by John Ebbrell with Southall beaten. But Vale seemed certain to score after 35 minutes, McCarthy getting the better of Gary Ablett with embarrassing ease down the right wing and delivering an inviting cross that Foyle blasted high over the bar from a yard out at the far post.
Everton had chances of their own, notably when a misjudged backpass by Andy Hill put Ferguson in, but the Scottish international striker steered his shot just wide of the far post. Then Vale survived an astonishing scramble two minutes after the interval following a Stuart corner. Ferguson fired a shot against the post, Amokachi hit the same post and then Ablett had a low shot hacked off the line.
There was another let-off for Vale later in the half when Ferguson's cross was met by Ebbrell with a low drive. Musselwhite made a fine reaction save, but the ball hit defender Allen Tankard and was looping into the net until the defender somehow managed to hook it off the line.
Tankard steered a free kick just wide for Vale after 85 minutes and a minute later the Everton fans were baying for a penalty when Limpar took a tumble over Ray Walker's foot, but Birmingham referee Mike Reed rejected the home side's appeals.
Now Everton, who endured a tricky replay at Stockport before progressing to the fourth round, face another difficult mission to Vale Park on Wednesday week if they are to keep their dream of retaining the trophy alive. On today's showing Vale's veteran manager, John Rudge, will be looking forward to the occasion with relish.
PA News - Match Report: FA Cup holders Everton named an unchanged side to resist the challenge of first division Port Vale in one of only three fourth-round ties to survive the big freeze. Undersoil heating ensured that the Goodison Park pitch was in good condition, despite the overnight snow on Merseyside that resulted in fans slipping and sliding their way to the stadium.
Everton manager Joe Royle promised to give Vale all the respect he would afford to Premiership leaders Newcastle. Royle was anxious to avoid further heart-stopping moments of the kind that saw Everton scrape through the third round with John Ebbrell's late replay winner against second division Stockport. But Vale, who defeated Spurs at the same stage in 1988, fancied their chances of causing another upset.
Port Vale set off at a furious pace, forcing two good scoring chances in the first four minutes. First, with the game less than two minutes old, Steve Guppy crossed for Tony Naylor, whose shot bounced off Everton skipper Dave Watson and wide for a corner. Then Ray Walker chipped a free kick over the Everton rearguard and Watson had to be alert to head behind his own goal before Martin Foyle could pounce. But from the resulting corner Jon McCarthy unleashed a low angled drive that saw John Ebbrell clear desperately off the line with Neville Southall beaten.
Everton then began to assert themselves, Duncan Ferguson heading out to Andrei Kanchelskis, whose low centre flew straight across the goal with nobody able to apply the killer touch. Then Ferguson headed down for Daniel Amokachi, whose shot was blocked. Vale's centre-half Gareth Griffiths was booked for arguing after he was penalised for a foul on Amokachi.
Naylor's crafty flick-on was just intercepted by Watson, who managed to hook the ball away before Foyle could get in for a run on the Everton goal. Kanchelskis forced a corner for Everton after trying to trick his way past a posse of Vale defenders. Graham Stuart floated in the corner, Watson headed down, but Ferguson's fluffed his shot on the turn and the ball trundled gently back to goalkeeper Paul Musselwhite.
Vale's Steve Guppy wasted a promising free kick for the visitors wide on the right flank, Gary Ablett cutting out the danger comfortably, and from the resulting breakaway Kanchelskis carved out Everton's best chance so far. The Ukrainian raced forward to cut in from the right while Amokachi made a dummy run. But Kanchelskis' finish was disappointing, his low shot proving far too straight to seriously trouble the Vale keeper.
Allen Tankard's attempted clearance for Vale was blocked by Ferguson and ran for Kanchelskis, but the winger's first touch was a poor one, allowing Musselwhite to race off his line and smother the ball.
Everton should have gone ahead when a loose backpass by full-back Andy Hill let Ferguson in on goal. However, the Scottish international striker's shot flew just wide of the far post to the frustration of the home fans. That frustration almost turned to despair after 29 minutes, when Foyle's fine close-range volley for the visitors was deflected over the bar by Watson.
Everton won a free kick in a dangerous position just outside the Vale box, Kanchelskis firing a low drive a couple of yards wide. Then Foyle and Naylor had shots blocked in quick succession on the edge of Everton's area. But Foyle should have put Vale into the lead after 35 minutes when McCarthy showed delightful skill to beat Ablett on the right flank before surging down the wing and arrowing a cross towards the far post. It fell beautifully for Foyle a yard out but he somehow contrived to fire his shot high over Everton's bar.
Five minutes later, Vale were made to rue that miss when Amokachi gave Everton the lead. Stuart floated in a corner from the right, Watson saw his header tipped one-handed into the air by Vale keeper Musselwhite but Amokachi was on hand to force the ball over the line from close range as it dropped into a ruck of players.
Stuart produced some neat footwork on the left edge of the Vale box to set up the opportunity for a cross, but Musselwhite was alert to the danger and dived to make a clean catch before Everton's strikers could pounce. The excellent Naylor, not to be outdone, turned skilfully away from a couple of Everton defenders before producing a surge of pace that took him to the byline. However, Watson cut out his low centre at the expense of a corner that came to nothing.
Port Vale began the second half with substitute Ian Bogie on in place of right -back Andy Hill. The visitors had an astonishing let-off after 47 minutes following a goalmouth melee when Stuart took a right-wing corner for Everton. Ferguson saw a shot rebound off a post, Amokachi followed up to fire a shot against the same post and then Ablett drilled in a low shot that was hammered off the line.
But Vale hit back and from Guppy's corner Gareth Griffiths rose to head towards the top corner, only for Southall to gather cleanly under his bar. And when Walker floated in a free kick from deep on the left flank, Naylor tried an audacious overhead kick that was close to Southall's far post.
Port Vale grabbed a dramatic equaliser after 59 minutes when Naylor, who had been a constant thorn in Everton's side with his pacy play, delivered an excellent cross from the left and Foyle stooped to head the ball into the roof of the Everton net. It prompted a double substitution by Everton boss Joe Royle three minutes later, Andy Hinchcliffe and Anders Limpar coming on in place of Ablett and Amokachi.
Ebbrell surged into the box on a run reminiscent of the one that brought him a dramatic last-ditch winner against Stockport in the third round replay, but this time the midfielder's effort flew a couple of feet wide of the far post.
Vale survived another remarkable goal-mouth scramble, after Ferguson crossed f rom the left edge of the box, picking out Ebbrell. His low drive was well blocked by Southall but appeared to rebound back toward s the goal off defender Tankard, who then somehow got back to hook the ball clear before it crossed the line.
Southall's long free kick for Everton was headed on by Craig Short to Stuart, who appeared to be impeded by a Vale defender as he ran on to the ball in the Vale box, but referee Mike Reed waved away the home side's appeals. Moments later Short found his way into Mr Reed's book, collecting a yellow card for a foul on Naylor. Vale substitute Bogie was booked for a foul on Ebbrell.
Everton's corner-kick specialist, Hinchcliffe, picked out Watson with a typically precise kick, but the Goodison skipper's glancing header cleared the far post by a matter of inches. Then Everton felt Kanchelskis was held back by Tankard as the pair tussled for the ball on the edge of the box, but again the referee rejected the Premiership side's protests.
Port Vale escaped a strong penalty appeal after 86 minutes when Limpar went over Walker's outstretched leg. But it looked like curtains for the gallant first division outfit two minutes later when Limpar crossed from the left and Musselwhite spilled the ball for the lurking Ferguson to hammer joyfully home. Unbelievably, though, Vale equalised a minute later, Bogie unleashing a shot from 30 yards that took a deflection off an Everton defender to limp over Southall 's outstretched hands and into the net to give them a richly-deserved replay.
PA News Wrap-up: Veteran manager John Rudge tonight dubbed his Port Vale side's dramatic 2-2 draw against Everton at Goodison Park "a tremendous achievement". Rudge saw substitute Ian Bogie grab a spectacular last-ditch equaliser after Duncan Ferguson had scored for Everton just three minutes from time.
"It was a great comeback and a tremendous two or three minutes," said Rudge.
"There could have been a lot more goals in the game and it is a great result for us. I am sure it will be a full house at Vale Park." Of Bogie's goal he said: "He struck a ball that got a bit of a deflection and deceived Neville Southall. We've been practising that move all week!"
But he added: "We deserved to get something out of it. When Paul Musselwhite looked as if he should have got hold of that cross and Ferguson scored we thought we were out of the Cup -- but never say die. "Let's hope we can do ourselves justice at Vale Park and go one better than Stockport did against Everton. I felt our players did us proud today and played some great stuff. To come here and get a good result against the Cup winners is a tremendous achievement for us.
"The chairman will be pleased because money is tight. It might give us a boost and put a few more pennies in the till."
Everton boss Joe Royle said: "I couldn't deny them their right to a replay. I thought we had won it at 2-1 but there were too many collective off-days for us.
"We would have been very fortunate to win 2-1 so I cannot begrudge them their draw. We should have won it right after half-time when we kept hitting posts instead of nets. Although we were on top they were always dangerous on the breakaway.
"Overall it was a strange day for us. We might have played worse then we did against Stockport -- but we are still in the Cup.
"We had chances to win it but that would have been cruel on Vale. The chances were not so much created as gouged out of the game."
He paid tribute to the performances of skipper Dave Watson and midfielder John Ebbrell but added: "But so many players were off-colour, for whatever reason I don't know. We weren't good enough to win -- full stop. Fair play to Port Vale, they deserved it on the day."
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