Result:
Everton (2) 3 - Swindon
Town (0) 0
Scorers: Kanchelskis (pen:2)
Barmby (18) Ferguson (50)
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Everton: Southall; Barrett, Watson, Dunne;
Rideout, Kanchelskis, Barmby, Stuart, Speed; Branch, Ferguson (84 Grant).
Booked: None. Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Hottiger. Unavailable: Hinchcliffe, Ebbrell, Parkinson, Short, O'Connor (Injured); Unsworth (Suspended); Phelan (FA Regs) |
Swindon Town: Digby; Seagraves, Culverhouse, Elkins
Robinson, Leitch, Collins (O'Sullivan, 45), Walters (42 Drysdale), Horlock;
Cowe (79 Watson), Allison.
Booked: Collins. Sent Off: Culverhouse (1), Elkins (74).
 Ref:
Neale Barry
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Att:
20,411
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Full
3rd Rnd Results
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4th
Round Tie
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Previous Match: Everton v Blackburn Rovers -- Next Match: Sheffield Wednesday v Everton
SoccerNet (Peter Ferguson): Ian Culverhouse launched himself into the history books and Everton into the fourth round of the FA Cup in an astonishing opening at Goodison Park. The big defender's desperate dive to block Andrei Kanchelskis's shot on the line after just 52 seconds triggered his dismissal and left manager Steve McMahon fuming.
It is the fastest sending-off recorded in the grand old competition and, along with the penalty his handball ensured, handed the game to injury-hit Everton. Swindon had a second player sent off 15 minutes from the end when Gary Elkins, already cautioned for a foul on the elusive Kanchelskis, left referee Neale Barry no option by upending goal-bound Duncan Ferguson.
But by that stage Everton, even with seven first-team men missing, were coasting to a 3-0 victory over the First Division side, and former Goodison midfielder McMahon had no doubt as to the reason why.
McMahon said: 'I've had a word with the referee and he said he would look at it again. My player is adamant the ball hit his chest. If that's the case, he's ruined a potentially good game. The result won't change. We thought we had a helluva chance today. Everton are going through a tricky phase and if there was a right time to catch them, then this was it.'
Kanchelskis thumped the spot-kick past Fraser Digby and Swindon's luck got worse when winger Mark Walters went off injured before half-time. Conversely, Joe Royle's makeshift line-up -- which included seven forwards and Dubliner Richard Dunne, at 17 years and 106 days their youngest Goodison debutant -- showed a spirit and understanding not always apparent this season.
Paul Rideout, playing against expectation and in a holding role in front of the back three, looked more than comfortable while Kanchelskis regained his form after shaking off the last effects of flu.
The enigmatic Walters, like his manager a former Liverpool player, handed Everton their second goal on a plate after 17 minutes with a poor backpass intercepted by Nick Barmby and then hit Neville Southall's bar with an exquisite shot that deserved a goal.
Ferguson claimed the third goal five minutes into the second half with a fine header from Earl Barrett's centre but Everton should have added further goals with Barmby, Kanchelskis and Michael Branch the culprits.
Guy McEvoy: With confidence low and self belief ebbing, not many were looking forward to this one. Swindon are a good team with serious Premiership aspirations for next season. The blues line-up raised some eyebrows too. Dunne was treated to his full debut due to the ineligibility of Phelan (FA Regulations require registration at least 7 days before a player is eligble for the FA Cup - Ed) and Paul Rideout was also put in.
The presumption before the kick off was that Rideout would play at centre half. With yet another ad hoc defence in action for those Evertonians who bothered to turn up (disappointingly few), expectations were understandably not all that high.
We can be thankful therefore that Swindon acted to give us all the football equivalent of a valium injection in the very first minute. A great move released Kanchelskis, the shot came in, and a defender dived across the goal line to manage a fine save. Use of the hands in such circumstances only brings one punishment: the red card waved, Swindon reduced to ten men, and one-nil down once Kanchelskis dispatched to spot-kick to finish what he started. An enormous collective sigh of relief round Goodison Park.
It was a blow from which Swindon never really recovered. From this point on, the pressure was relentless with the next serious chance falling to Rideout. Paul was not actually playing at centre half, but instead slotted into the midfield to take the Parkinson/Ebbrell holding role. This meant that we played the game with only three at the back, but we never looked the worse for it. Stuart was central midfield playing as a play-maker with Barmby in front of him, Speed was wide left and Branch and Ferguson led the line. Anyway, it was Rideout who nearly notched up number two when his header from a corner hit the crossbar.
When the second goal did come it was from yet another piece of Swindon self-destruction. This time, Thomas needlessly kicked the ball back to his keeper when 'turn and hoof' would be a much better option. Nick Barmby had the presence of mind to anticipate the calamity. He did well to beat the keeper to the ball and even better with the touch that took it around him leaving an empty net to stroke it in to.
Thomas did his best to make amends later with a 30-yard wonder strike that thumped the cross bar but the Everton team was playing with enough composure to make clear that this would be no repeat of last years Stockport or Port Vale performances.
Thomas himself, the only player who really looked up for it on their team, played no more part in proceeding's in any case, getting a mysterious injury after a charge into our box. Swindon would surely have felt fortunate to be going into the break only two down.
Everton didn't really make too much effort to exert themselves in the second half either, comfortable control and passing build up play leading to a string of chances. The one we managed to convert delighted the Street End. Critics everywhere were chewing words when Barrett (back at right back) knocked over a delightful cross and Ferguson rose like only Ferguson rises to connect and knock it across the face of the goal and into the corner of the net.
A bad day became dire for Swindon when they had another man sent off, this time for a second booking after a very late challenge. For the nine men left it was just a matter of holding on for pride. Everton could and probably should have extended their lead, Branch, Speed, Barmby, Stuart, Rideout and Kanchelskis all created good efforts. Even debutante Dunne felt confident enough to let rip from long range. In truth though this was a contest that was all over in that first minute. Although it was never quite a case of picking the wings off flies that it had threatened to become after the second minute, the performance was satisfying given our make-shift team.
The thing that pre-occupied me (particularly in the second half) was why anyone 'chooses' to sit behind a goal. I always go for a wander elsewhere in cup games and today ended up in the Park End. You only really get to see one half of the action, at the other end you loose the judgement of distance and angle thinking that shots are on target when they head for the corner flag and that passes look on when there are probably three or four opponents in line to block it out. I suppose the only answer is the improved 'atmosphere' because it certainly isn't for reasons of price any more (sixteen quid!).
Not that the atmosphere was up to that much, the Swindon crowd tried their very best to be antagonistic but when you're three nil down with nine men you really need to come up with something special to manage a wind-up. The Evertonians were just content to sit back and enjoy an all-too-rare home victory.
Ferguson was withdrawn for the last ten minutes or so, presumably being a case of the job being done and there being no point picking up a booking or injury. That gave Tony Grant an opportunity to come on against the team he enjoyed a successful loan spell at last year. The standing ovation with which the Swindon fans welcomed him acted as good testimony to the job he did there.
So there you have it. Three-nil is a convincing scoreline whatever the circumstances, -- you don't get no prizes for goal difference in the cup. The only thing that matters is you getting in that next round draw. We did, so that's fine with me.
Richard Marland: Thank Christ for that! What a relief! In the context of season 1996/97 this was an incredibly important game. Lose this and it would have effectively ended our season, done God knows what damage to the side's confidence, and deepened the gloom hanging around the fans. As it is, with a win under our belts, we still have some purpose left in our season -- with the possibility of an extended cup run and hopefully brought a curtain down on our selection problems.
Unsworth and Phelan instantly come back into contention for next Saturday, Craig Short shouldn't be too far away from fitness, and the likes of Kanchelskis, Watson, Grant and Ebbrell now have some breathing space in which to get to full fitness.
The latest in a succession of strange line-ups brought a real shock with the introduction of 17-year-old Richard Dunne in a back three, and Paul Rideout playing in central midfield. To sum up, we had Nev in goal, Barrett, Watson and Dunne as the back three. Speed and Kanchelskis as wing-backs, Rideout and Stuart in central midfield, and Barmby playing in the hole behind the front two of Dunc and Branch. I have been a little puzzled by some of Joe's line-ups over Christmas; this one though looked to make perfect sense and everyone seemed to be comfortable with their roles.
There was a sensational opening to the game as we quickly went on the offensive. Within the first minute, Andrei had a clear chance -- his first shot was blocked and he hit the rebound over. The action was at the far end from me and my initial reaction was, "How the hell did he miss that?"
The reason soon became clear as the referee awarded a penalty and sent Culverhouse off for a hand-ball on the line. Andrei himself took the penalty (our fourth penalty taker of the season) and he calmly sent the keeper the wrong way. The sending off was timed at 52 seconds, a record for the FA Cup apparently. So, one minute in, 1-0 up and the opposition down to 10 men. Starts really don't come much better than that.
Swindon made their second gift to us in the 18th minute when a under-hit Mark Walters backpass was intercepted by Nick Barmby who calmly rounded the keeper to make it 2-0. Around about this time Swindon did briefly threaten, Nev made an excellent save from a free header given to one of the Swindon players from a corner.
Nev was also saved by the crossbar when Mark Walters attempted to chip him -- Nev was beaten but the crossbar spared him embarrassment. Mark Walters was becoming a bit of a nuisance at this time; he was showing his ability by finding space amongst our midfielders and using the ball well to cause us some discomfort. It really summed up Swindon's day when he pulled up with a muscle strain and had to go off. If Swindon had been left reeling by the penalty and sending off, and the gifted second goal then the departure of Walters well and truly signalled their exit from this contest.
Everton totally controlled the second half, as indeed they should have done. We added one further goal when an excellent Barrett cross was met by a towering Ferguson header, and we should have added more. Branch, Barmby and Ferguson all missing reasonable chances.
No-one was complaining too much though, after our recent performances any kind of win would do. Swindon well and truly lost the plot. They had another man sent off for two bookable offences and could have conceded another penalty, -- I assume that the referee took pity on them. I'm sure that the Everton crowd too would have felt some sympathy towards them had it not been for the prescence of McMahon.
Team 7 There are a lot of 7's flying around. Basically it was a good, sound, professional performance by the whole team without any kind of heights being reached. We have to bear in mind that they were playing First Division opposition who played 89 minutes with 10 men, so we shouldn't get carried away. They did what was necessary without fuss.
Robbie Newton: Far from a "good" Everton performance, but still much improvement on previous home games. Got to Maghull Train Station at 1:55 and missed the train by 5 minutes, so had to wait 35 minutes till the next train heading into Liverpool. Eventually the train came and off we went to Kirkdale. We got off the train and immediately sensed that it wasn't an FA Cup 3rd round atmosphere in the air. There seemed to be an atmosphere of depression and nervousness.
It wasn't much better when we got to the ground. The Park End was practically empty, as was the Main Stand, as was the Upper Bullens (and I suspect the Upper Gwladys?) and the Lower Gwladys, where I was, was also pretty empty. And to think that the attendance of 20,411 was normal just a few years ago! Swindon hadn't managed to sell all their tickets either, making the game seem even less important or FA Cup-related.
The team came out and kicked off. Then staright away Swindon were reduced to ten men. Within 50 bloody seconds! Whatever chance Swindon had before the match kicked off had practically disappeared within the first minute of the match.
Everton attacked down the left, Barmby laid on a pass to Kanchelskis and his shot was blocked. Just as we were ready to cheer an inevitable goal with Andrei following up the referee points to the spot and there is a puzzled cheer. Penalty to us, handball. Off goes a Swindon defender. Up steps Andrei and it's 1-0 as he blasts the ball in to the right-hand corner of the net at the Park End. All smiles around Goodison -- just the start Joe Royle would have wanted to get the fans behind the team.
The next real action came on 11 minutes when an Everton corner was headed against the angle by Rideout from close range. It was scrambled behind and from the resulting corner Ferguson headed over.
Three minutes later Swindon hit the woodwork themselves. Walters received the ball centrally, had time to pick his nose and run and wipe it on the ref, then dinked a crisp lob over the stranded Southall only to see it bounce back off the bar and into play.
On 18 minutes the game was over as a contest. A Swindon defender passed it back to his keeper, who then let Barmby take the ball off him and roll it into the empty net. 2-0. The 3,000 or so Swindon fans must have wondered why they even bothered to make the long trek north.
The half-time whistle blew after 1 minute of injury time to cheers from the Evertonians. Players and fans had patched up their differences and had decided to give it another go.
The second half was poor. It's hard to actually think of how many shots their keeper had to save -- not as many as he should've had, that's for sure.
We were all expecting Everton to add to their current tally quite considerably, and when Ferguson scored with a brilliant header it looked very much on the cards. It took just five minutes of the second half for Ferguson to get his name on the score-sheet. Barrett's excellent cross to the back post was wonderfully met by Ferguson. His header first appeared as though it was going over but looped into the top corner. 3-0.
Up to then, Ferguson had made as much impact on the game as Southall had. Again, his flick-ons were pretty dire. Now it seemed he had come alive. Well, for ten minutes at least.
We waited, and we waited, and guess what? We waited. For a fourth goal. It just didn't come -- the only time it really looked like coming was when Kanchelskis had a pile-driver beat out by the Swindon keeper.
Branch was lively throughout the second half and was very unlucky not to score, notably with a lob from the edge of the area which was an inch too high. I've got a horrible feeling he's not going to score goals for us. And, with Ferguson falling into the same "10 goals a season man" category, I have to admit that the Branch-Ferguson partnership looks slightly worrying.
The fourth goal didn't come -- although it should have when Branch was felled in the area late on -- but we were fairly happy with 3-0. It wasn't so much the performance that counted today, just the result. However, I can't help feeling that Newcastle or Man Utd would have given Swindon a good hiding, because in all honestly, they didn't have any outstanding players, albeit they were one man down.
It wasn't a cup-tie to remember by any stretch of the imagination -- the crowd was about as vociferous as the proverbial child: To be seen but not heard - and it wasn't a particularly classy performance from Everton either. As long as we were in the hat for the next round, I would be happy. I was desperate for an away tie at Liverpool or Man Utd, but I'll gladly settle for Bradford at home! Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eigth round here we come?
Dave Shepherd: Anyone expecting a stern contest was sorely disappointed in this opening cup-tie. Despite their handy Division One position, Swindon were as bad as the sorry outfit who lost 6-2 a few seasons ago on their way down.
All traces of snow had been cleared even from in front of the north-facing Paddock, but the crowd was as bleak as the winter. First five, then seven, then more seagulls had come inland and sat on the top of the Park Stand until seventeen sat there waiting for the match to start. This was in addition to the vultures in the press box hungry for an upset to write about.
The stadium was only half full, due to a half turnout from both sets of fans. It was as poor as a Mikey Mouse Cup crowd, and by far the worst FA Cup 3rd round crowd I've ever seen anywhere. At least those who had come had come to cheer.
TV Everton had reminded us of warmer and happier days by playing the 1995 Cup Final video.
With Phelan ineligible, it was back to the Gary Speed left wingback solution, but students of formations had a real treat today! Richard Dunne (wearing 27, Mark Grugel's old number) was given a full debut at left centre back alongside a recovered Dave Watson. Then there was Rideout on and Ebbrell missing, making three forwards and no defensive midfielders... (a bleak day indeed for the proud Everton midfield tradition) until PR lined up just in front of the defensive line and played a sort of defensive midfield sweeper role. If I remember correctly, Rideout started his career as a centre half, and has played there once before for Everton way back pre-Walker.
To cheers the match started, made it's way to the Park End, and effectively ended. A Duncan flick-on, a shot rebounds, and Kanchelskis has the goal at his mercy. Culverhouse blocked the ball out, and referee Neale Barry was convinced enough to interpret it as a deliberate handball, so it had to be a red card for the ex-Norwich defender. It was Andrei who stepped up to take the penalty, and proved he can hit dead balls just as well as rolling ones.
In other words, we never got to see what McMahon's Swindon were capable of with a full team, but even by half-time there were serious doubts as to whether one player of any position could have averted the pasting they got.
It was an exhibition of attacks from then on, and the Wiltshire club's replies posed very little problem for the improvised defence. Their solitary good threat was an early power header from easily their best player, a large black centre forward (Allison?) who played like a cross between Amo and The Latch. It brought a miracle save from Southall, reaction-diving very low near his left foot, and not only blocking, but getting the ball round the post. The Banks Save was in the same style and class.
Swindon's luck didn't get any better. Having repelled more dangerous attacks, they gifted Barmby a solo goal from a backpass. Mark Walters was presumably supposed to be their lynchpin, but he got a knock and couldn't run it off, and had to retire before half time. Dunc was delighted to loop a header over Fraser Digby into the far top corner from a Kanchelskis cross. The final nail was when one of only two players carded all day, ex-Wimbledon defender Elkins, got a second yellow for a tackle from behind and reduced McMahon's Robins to nine.
If you didn't feel sorry for McMahon, spare a thought for their other defender, Mark Seagraves -- he's a lifelong Blue, born in Bootle. He used to play for Bolton, and missed his chance with them to face Everton in the cup a few years ago. He must have been thrilled about the tie but sick about his team's day.
As for Everton's day, the criticism had to be the number of missed chances from all the forward players. It could easily have been another seven-goal game. But it's nicer to be unhappy at only getting three than unhappy about conceding three for a change.
Leaving the ground and dreaming of a 1995 repeat in both league form upturn and cup run, you had be proud of the 17,000 Evertonians who turned up, and despise the 20,000 can't-be-arsed who will be all too arsed if it comes to queuing up (or pushing in) to get Derby tickets, Cup final or Semi tickets.
With the Bantams in Round 4, is it another year of the Birds?
TEAM PERFORMANCE 8 Very impressive -- they worked at the game for the full 90, not letting up even 3-0 up against 9 men.
Ref: N S BARRY (Scunthorpe). Rather enigmatic, but not bad overall. Seems very unconventional interpreting jump ball fouls.
Lyndon Lloyd: I awoke at 8.00 am, excited at the prospect of visiting Goodison Park for the first time since the 3rd round of the FA Cup last year when the Blues drew 2-2 with Stockport County. My first sleepy steps downstairs were greeted by a late Christmas present from the dog which lay all over the hall carpet! I hoped that shit was not going to be a theme of the day, and if it were to be, then I prayed that only Steve McMahon's Swindon side would be deserving of such an adjective. Anyway, having cleared up the mess I devoured a hasty breakfast, packed the car and headed off up the M40 accompanied by my girlfriend.
My memories of the drive from South Buckinghamshire to Liverpool taking forever proved to be false. It was in actual fact a pleasant two and three quarter hour drive interspersed with the odd game of ducks and drakes with a couple of Manchester United fans as well as an occasional glare or wicked grin to the many Swindon followers making the same journey as I. We arrived at the Anfield car park at around midday which left rather too much time on our hands before kick off but we dragged it out with a pint at the Stanley Park, an extended stroll around the Megastore and a slightly colder circumnavigation of Goodison Park before we eventually made our way to our seats in the Park End Stand.
It wasn't as cold in Goodison as I had predicted it might be but we were nevertheless glad of the numerous layers we had on. Our one mistake of the afternoon proved to be the purchase of two cups of hot chocolate which had rather too much of the hot and definitely not enough of the chocolate, to the extent that their only use turned out to be as handwarmers! Nevertheless, the anticipation of kick off and the sight of Goodison legend Dave Hickson passing within a few feet at one stage helped to pass the time.
The players came out for real at a few minutes to three; the Everton line-up was read out over the tannoy and cheered by the home support. However, it became obvious that, firstly, Paul Rideout was on the pitch (which drew a few loud and unnecessary boos from somewhere in the Park End) and secondly that John Ebbrell and Tony Grant were nowhere to be seen. Everton kicked off this FA Cup third round tie with possibly the most courageous and attacking formation I have ever had the pleasure (as it turned out) of witnessing. Joe Royle had fielded no fewer than seven attacking players against opposition that the potential to be as slippery as the paths of Stanley Park were under the frozen snow. Paul Rideout was playing in central midfield with Graham Stuart and Nick Barmby!
The match started in breath-taking fashion. Within 50 seconds, the home side had stormed into the Swindon area and Barmby had received a neat pass on the six yard box and was poised to shoot before having the ball and his legs swept from underneath him by a red-shirted defender. The ball broke to Kanchelskis whose shot was saved and the my heart sank as the Ukrainian side-footed the rebound over. But wait, the referee has blown the whistle... for a penalty! And there's going to be a card! Every blue-blooded fan in Goodison was yelling "Off! Off!" so I joined in. And indeed, Ian Culverhouse was given his marching orders after just 52 seconds which, I later found out, is a record for the FA Cup.
Swindon Town were down to ten men after just a minute and Andrei Kanchelskis stepped up to confidently stroke home the penalty wide to Frazer Digby's left. The relief was tangible, the smiles on the Blue players' faces a joy to behold. My girlfriend, naturally, wanted an explanation of what had just transpired and to be honest I wasn't too sure. We were sitting just two rows from the front, directly behind the goal and, with the action happening right in front of us, I hadn't even seen Culverhouse's alleged handball. I had assumed that he had been sent off for the challenge on Barmby which had prevented a certain goal! It was a plausible but inaccurate summing up.
With the pressure lifted, Everton came forward towards us in wave after wave of well-constucted attack. There was energy, endeavour, enthusiasm and some excellent movement up front from Barmby and Branch especially. The 18 year-old was literally everywhere, twisting and turning in the penalty area, sliding passes and flick-ons to teammates time and time again. It didn't always come off but he won a few corners and caused no end of trouble for the depleted Swindon side. From one such Barmby corner, Rideout headed against the angle of post and bar before Dave Watson miskicked the rebound. Branch then slammed the ball across the six-yard box a touch too hard and the danger subsided before raiding down the left side of the area twice in a minute where the young lads luck refused to change.
At the other end, Wayne Allison rose to head unchallenged and goalwards and from a melee of players Southall suddenly emerged, diving to his left to claw the ball away in fantastic and characteristic style. It could so easily have been 1-1. Instead it was 2-0 on 18 minutes. Mark Walters, booed at every touch, passed weakly back to Digby and Barmby nipped in to steal the ball, round the keeper and screw it back into the gaping net. The ground went wild, Barmby just grinned before being mobbed by his teammateds and the stage was set for a mauling.
Duncan Ferguson headed just past the upright from a corner, Stuart shot woefully wide from 20 yards and Rideout was unlucky not to win a corner from a sizzling drive from a similar distance which had the Park End screaming a premature "goal!!!!" The Robins had obviously had the stuffing knocked out of them after the early dismissal but Walters nearly atoned for his error in defence with a delightful chip that beat Southall but not the bar and the danger was cleared.
Half-time was a calm affair as we contemplated an easy passage through to the next round. Another goal would do it but the Blues had shown an clear desire to knock the ball to feet as opposed to playing the long ball to Duncan and Southall readily fed Earl Barrett and 17 year-old debutant Richard Dunne with roll out passes whereupon they could start attacks.
Stuart was busy but depressingly ineffective in midfield but Rideout showed enormous passion alongside him tackling with aplomb and displaying a willingness to join the attack and the hunt for goals. The occasional challenge missed the ball and clattered the player but Rideout was a more than adequate deputy for Parkinson et al.
Branch was superb for his years, which did reveal his inexperience on occasions, but on the whole he did more than enough to dispel the grossly misguided "Barlow" comparisons being sputtered by the loud-mouth behind me. All in all, the atmosphere was good and the players seemed to be enjoying themselves. A cheeky wink and smile from Andrei, a wave and nod of recognition by Dunc and then from Nev when he reached his goal at the start of the second half.
The avalanche of goals did not come in the second half. The one-way traffic to the Swindon goal continued but Everton were relaxed and not averse to a patient build-up where before the long ball would have been the chosen route to goal. Barrett saw lots of the ball and readily exploited the space created by the missing Swindon man. When no challenge was forthcoming, Sterling Earl moved into the opposition half and delivered an inch-perfect cross to Ferguson whose looping header beat Digby at the far post to make it 3-0.
The "Duncan, Duncan Ferguson" chant rang out from the Glwadys Street end and all was right with the world! Richard Dunne grew in confidence and Dave Watson finally got on top of Allison who would have been a handful for any defender. Barrett was almost faultless and even tried to repeat his assist of earlier in the half but his cross met only Digby's arms.
Ferguson was everywhere on Sunday when he wanted to be but was prone to bouts of static inactivity on other occasions. Nevertheless, he crashed one shot wide to the left and pulled another agonisingly wide of the othe post. Barmby should have had a second when he side-footed inches wide and even Dunne had a go from 25 yards but it was a defender's shot! Kanchelskis remained the most likely outlet and he had three excellent shots saved as the fourth goal refused to materialise.
By the time that Gary Elkins had received his second yellow card and consequent sending off for scything down Ferguson when clean through late on, Everton had markedly taken their foot off the pedal. If they didn't mete out the demolition we deserved after recent results, then the Toffees, with their tired, recovering or injured legs, could be excused. We were through to Round Four, confidence was restored as was Goodison's faith. Bradford City are the next opponents in the cup and we can hope for more of the same against them, even if Chris Waddle et al don't lose their heads and their players.
Team peformance: - In the light of recent disappointing performances and decimated morale, I decided to give the team 8 for a total revolution in playing style as well as for sheer effort. They had a tendancy to over-egg the pudding in the opposition area at times but there were some neat interchanges that belied their "Wimbledon -- Mk II" tag.
Happy days are here again - for now! --- Visit Lyndon's excellent unofficial Everton website
Ian Ross, The Guardian: Any hopes Swindon entertained of upsetting the form book at Goodison Park lasted exactly 52 seconds yesterday when their centre back Ian Culverhouse was sent off, the fastest dismissal in the competition's 125-year history, and Everton took the lead from the resulting penalty.
'The game was over as a contest after just one minute,' said Swindon manager Steve McMahon. 'My player is adamant the ball hit him on the chest. The referee has said he will study a recording of it. If it did strike his chest the referee ruined what would have been a really good game.
'I thought we had a genuine chance before that happened because if there was a right time to come here then this was it; but not with ten men.'
Andrei Kanchelskis's powerful shot struck Culverhouse as he stood on the line and, as the Ukrainian drove the rebound over, his colleagues made a collective penalty appeal. Culverhouse pointed to his chest but the referee Neal Barry was having none of it; deliberate handball was the verdict.
Kanchelskis thumped home the penalty and Swindon never recovered from the double blow. It was to get worse for the First Division club and, in a tie that was bereft of malice, they finished with nine men after Gary Elkins was shown the red card with 15 minutes left.
All this served to ease Everton through a match their manager, Joe Royle, described as a 'potential banana skin'. Defeat would have effectively ended a season which has been characterised by inconsistency, but now they have the chance of an extended Cup run, especially after being drawn at home to the First Division strugglers Bradford City in the fourth round.
Despite being without the likes of Hinchcliffe, Parkinson and Short, Everton could boast seven full internationals which was rather more than Swindon could muster.
Dispirited and numericallly disadvantaged, Swindon looked to the former Liverpool player Mark Walters to rescue a cause which already seemed lost. He briefly threatened to restore the game's competitive edge but, shortly before he struck the crossbar with an audacious lob from a long way out, he was guilty of an atrocious and costly misjudgment.
After 18 minutes he tried to find Fraser Digby with a straightforward back-pass delivered neither in haste nor under pressure. It fell disastrously short, leaving Nick Barmby with the simple job of scoring once he had rounded the goalkeeper.
Swindon began to consider damage limitation but their rearguard could not help opening up and Everton poured forward, gleefully and often. Four minutes into a second half which held all the fascination of a testimonial fixture, Everton ended any possible doubt about the outcome when Duncan Ferguson rose majestically to meet Earl Barrett's cross with a fine header to beat Digby.
Report Copyright The Guardian
Guy Hodgson, The Independent: The folklore of the FA Cup does not have a place for Swindon Town. Legend has it that the third round is full of upsets or plucky lower-division sides who go down with all guns blazing. No mention is made of minnows who shoot themselves in the foot.
The records will show this as a comfortable Everton win, although even the most blue-eyed home supporter would have to give Swindon some credit. The First Division side may have sensed a giant-killing on the way up to Goodison: instead they committed suicide.
By the finish yesterday they had two men sent off, had given away two soft goals and even their goalkeeper Fraser Digby was limping around his area, unable to take goalkicks. The return of the Swindon manager, Steve McMahon, to his old club had turned thoroughly sour.
The turning point, as both managers recognised, was Ian Culverhouse's dismissal after 52 seconds, the fastest sending off in FA Cup history. The crime was deliberate handball although Swindon insisted that the referee had made a mistake. 'My player is adamant he didn't handle the ball', McMahon said. He says it hit his chest. 'It ruined the game. I thought Everton were there for the taking but that ended the game as a contest.'
As McMahon intimated, the portents were not favourable for the Premiership team. Everton had won only one of their previous seven matches and McMahon's Everton antecedents -- he used to be a Goodison ball boy doing the running and chasing for the now Everton manager Joe Royle -- made it easy to imagine the headlines on the 'Old boy makes Royle blue' lines.
They could be ripped up within 90 seconds. On Everton's first attack, Duncan Ferguson flicked the ball on, Digby could not catch as Nick Barmby challenged and Andre Kanchelskis' volley was heading for the net until Culverhouse dived to his left to save with either his hand or his chest, depending on your viewpoint.
The referee was clearly of the opinion that the Swindon defender had given him little option but to send him off, and Kanchelskis gave Digby little chance with the penalty either, driving into the right-hand top corner.
If that was not bad enough, Swindon's death wish reappeared after 17 minutes. Mark Walters, a former Liverpool player with the middle name of Everton, had plenty of options when he gained possession 25 yards out from his own goal but the one he should not have chosen was a back-pass to the goalkeeper. Barmby nipped in, went round Digby and passed into an empty net.
The tie was over but to Swindon's credit they tried their utmost to keep it alive. Walters had an exquisite chip from 35 yards hit the bar before he limped off with a groin injury and, but for an excellent save from Nevill Southall, Kevin Horlock would have scored with a point-blank header.
These were breezes against a gale, however, and Everton will disappointed that they did not score more. Their third goal, though, was a classic, Ferguson rising to thump Earl Barrett's cross into the top corner with a fearsome header.
The final indignity that made it a thoroughly rotten day for the visitors arrived after 74 minutes when Gary Elkins was dismissed for a second bookable foul after bringing down Ferguson. The referee could have used his discretion and turned a blind eye, but it was not that kind of day for Swindon.
Peter Ball, The Times: FOOTBALL matches are meant to last 90 minutes. Everton's FA Cup third round tie with Swindon lasted 52 seconds as a competitive game, the time it took Ian Culverhouse to set a new and unwanted record as the quickest ever dismissal in FA Cup history.
By the finish, Swindon, with Elkins also sent off for a second bookable offence, were down to nine men but the damage had been done much earlier. In Everton's first attack, Culverhouse was adjudged to have handled as he flung himself to block Andrei Kanchelskis's shot on the goalline. His protests that the ball had hit his chest were unavailing. Neale Barry produced the red card and Kanchelskis hit home the penalty, leaving Swindon a goal down and facing the remaining 89 minutes with ten men.
"My player is adamant he didn't handle, and if that's the case the referee's ruined a perfectly good game," Steve McMahon, the Swindon manager, said. "The game is over as a contest because it's not only given a goal away but we're down to ten men.
"It's such a big anti-climax. We had prepared so well and our expectations were so high. We thought we had a heck of a chance. Everton have been going through a tricky period and if ever there was a right time to catch them, this was it. - but not with ten men."
The gaps in the stands revealed the depths of uncertainty on Merseyside, and Everton's unbalanced team, the result of a rash of injuries and suspensions, left them looking vulnerable. But if anything was geared to settle their nerves after two successive home defeats, it was an early goal. Their cares fell away.
Yet Swindon took some credit for their immediate reaction, even if by the end their spirit had declined. Initially, their response to losing one of their three central defenders was to play with two, keeping the balance of the team elsewhere. It was a high risk policy and at times they were in danger of being overrun. They escaped that but, sadly, fortune did not favour the brave, Southall and the woodwork denying them reward for some brave attacking.
Instead an error by Walters, under-hitting a back-pass which presented Nick Barmby with the second goal after 18 minutes, was where the match really ended as a contest.
Yet in between the opening two goals, only Southall's brilliant save kept out Horlock's header, and after the second Swindon came even closer. Walters received the ball from Allison, spotted Southall off his line, but was frustrated as his beautifully judged chip came back off the bar, a poor reward for a piece of audacious skill.
It was not to be Walters' day on his return to Merseyside. Before the interval the former Liverpool player had pulled up limping after bursting past Barrett, and his contribution had ended by half-time.
Swindon reshuffled again, but before their new formation, reverting to three at the back, could prove effective Ferguson added Everton's third with a leaping header, and all that remained was for Elkins to be sent off quarter of an hour before the end for pulling down Ferguson, having already been booked for a lunge at Kanchelskis.
Report Copyright The Times
William Johnson, Electronic Telegraph: STEVE McMahon's dream of making a triumphant return as a manager to the club who launched his playing career was shattered only 52 seconds into yesterday's third-round tie at Goodison Park.That is how long it took Swindon Town defender Ian Culverhouse to commit the now serious offence of handling the ball in his own penalty area, an indiscretion which left referee Neale Barry with no alternative but to pull out a red card.
It was the fastest sending-off in FA Cup history and wrecked what Swindon believed was a genuine chance of pulling off one of the surprises of the round against a team who began the match low on confidence and short of manpower.Culverhouse had dived across the goal-line in a spontaneous attempt to stop an Andrei Kanchelskis shot after goalkeeper Fraser Digby had been committed into blocking Nick Barmby's initial shot and, despite his protests, which were supported by McMahon, Culverhouse could not expect to be pardoned.
Giving Everton a goal start, Kanchelskis having comfortably driven in the spot kick, was a big enough handicap for the First Division side, but trying to salvage the tie with only 10 men proved too great an obstacle.McMahon said afterwards: "I have not seen TV pictures but I have spoken to the referee about the incident and he said he would look at it.
"My player is adamant that the ball hit his chest. If that is the case, the referee has ruined a perfectly good game. As far as I was concerned, the game was over after a minute."
Things went from bad to worse for McMahon when Mark Walters, his most creative player, who was to leave the field before half-time with a pulled muscle, presented Everton with a second goal by under-hitting a back pass.Barmby gleefully nipped in ahead of goalkeeper Digby to open a two-goal margin with the match only 18 minutes old.
When Duncan Ferguson headed in a classic third goal from Earl Barrett's excellent cross early in the second half, Swindon's fate was confirmed, although there was still time for McMahon's problems to plunge to new depths.
A second dismissal, this time of Gary Elkins for two indisputable bookings, left Swindon with nine men for the last 15 minutes and it is to their great credit that they did not subside completely in those closing stages.
Averting a landslide was also due in no small measure to Everton's ineptitude in attack. Joe Royle's team created chances at will but squandered them one after another, their young striker Michael Branch testing the patience of a half-full stadium.
Royle, who had viewed the occasion as a banana skin, was grateful that luck at last favoured his team. "It was facile in the end for us," he said. "But games are only easy if you make them that way."
Report Copyright The Electronic Telegraph
Tuesday, February 4 1997
WOKING 1-2 COVENTRY CITY 6,000 Replay Steele(36) Whelan(11) Foster(og:79)
Saturday, 25 January 1997
BRENTFORD 0-1 MANCHESTER CITY 12,019
Summerbee(62)
COVENTRY CITY 1-1 WOKING 16,040
Jess(75) Thompson(89)
BOLTON WANDERERS 6-2 LUTON TOWN 9,713 Replay
McGinlay(8) Blake(52,66) Thorpe(32,36)
Thompson(64) Pollock(83) Green(90)
LEEDS UNITED 1-0 CRYSTAL PALACE 21,903 Replay
Wallace(42)
WEST HAM UNITED 0-1 WREXHAM 16,763 Replay
Russell(90)
Wednesday, 22 January 1997
ASTON VILLA 3-0 NOTTS COUNTY 25,006 Replay Yorke(24,53) Ehiogu(67)
Tuesday, 21 January 1997
GILLINGHAM 0-2 DERBY COUNTY 9,508
Willems(53) Van Der Laan(89)
LUTON TOWN 1-1 BOLTON WANDERERS 7,414
Johnson(89) Pollock(26)
WATFORD 2-0 OXFORD UNITED 9,502
White (71) Connolly (80)
WIMBLEDON 2-0 CREWE ALEXANDRA 4,951 Replay
Earle (11) Holdsworth (46)
Wednesday, 15 January 1997
COVENTRY CITY P-P WOKING
LEICESTER CITY 2-0 SOUTHEND UNITED 13,982
Claridge(40) Marshall(48)
STOKE CITY 0-2 STOCKPORT COUNTY 9,961
Durkan(25) Armstrong(90)
NEWCASTLE UNITED 2-1 CHARLTON ATHLETIC 36,398 Replay; aet
Clark(33) Shearer(100) Robson(55)
SUNDERLAND 0-2 ARSENAL 15,277 Replay
Bergkamp(46) Hughes(65)
WEST HAM UNITED P-P WREXHAM Replay
Tuesday, 14 January 1997
BARNSLEY 2-0 OLDHAM ATHLETIC 9,936
Bullock(27) Marcelle(30)
BRENTFORD P-P MANCHESTER CITY
CARLISLE UNITED 1-0 TRANMERE ROVERS 10,090
Archdeacon(30)
CHESTERFIELD 2-0 BRISTOL CITY 5,193
Howard(69,88)
CREWE ALEXANDRA 1-1 WIMBLEDON 5,011
Westwood(12) Perry(25)
CRYSTAL PALACE 2-2 LEEDS UNITED 21,052
Dyer(pen:6) Veart(69) Deane(3) Andersen(og:7)
GILLINGHAM 0a0 DERBY COUNTY 10,600 Abandoned
(Match abandoned after 66 minutes)
LUTON TOWN P-P BOLTON WANDERERS
NOTTS COUNTY 0-0 ASTON VILLA 13,315
WATFORD P-P OXFORD UNITED
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 1-2 QUEENS PARK RANGERS 11,814 Replay
Edwards(7) Peacock(26) McDonald(89)
Monday, 13 January 1997
HEDNESFORD TOWN 1-O YORK CITY 2,684 Replay Russell(pen:43)
Sunday, 5 January 1997
CHARLTON ATHLETIC 1-1 NEWCASTLE UNITED 15,000
Kinsella (78) Lee (33)
EVERTON 3-0 SWINDON TOWN 20,411
Kanchelskis(pen:2) Barmby(18) Ferguson(50)
MANCHESTER UNITED 2-0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 52,495
Scholes(51) Beckham(82)
NOTTS COUNTY P-P ASTON VILLA
WYCOMBE WANDERERS 0-2 BRADFORD CITY 5,173
Dreyer(25,34)
Saturday, 4 January 1997
ARSENAL 1-1 SUNDERLAND 37,793
Hartson(10) Gray(20)
BARNSLEY P-P OLDHAM ATHLETIC
BIRMINGHAM CITY 2-0 STEVENAGE BOROUGH 15,365
Francis(27) Devlin(pen:64)
BLACKBURN ROVERS 1-0 PORT VALE 19,891
Bohinen(68)
BRENTFORD P-P MANCHESTER CITY
CARLISLE UNITED P-P TRANMERE ROVERS
CHELSEA 3-0 WEST BROMWICH ALBION 27,446
Wise(39) Burley(74) Zola(90)
CHESTERFIELD P-P BRISTOL CITY
COVENTRY CITY P-P WOKING
CREWE ALEXANDRA P-P WIMBLEDON
CRYSTAL PALACE P-P LEEDS UNITED
GILLINGHAM P-P DERBY COUNTY
HEDNESFORD TOWN P-P YORK CITY
LEICESTER CITY P-P SOUTHEND UNITED
LIVERPOOL 1-0 BURNLEY 33,252
Collymore(12)
LUTON TOWN P-P BOLTON WANDERERS
MIDDLESBROUGH 6-0 CHESTER CITY 18,684
Ravanelli(21,50) Hignett(26)
Cox(44) Beck(56) Stamp(79)
NORWICH CITY 1-0 SHEFFIELD UNITED 12,356
Polston(32)
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 3-0 IPSWICH TOWN 14,681
Saunders(19,74) Allen(28)
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 0-1 PETERBOROUGH UNITED 7,299
Charlery(58)
QUEENS PARK RANGERS 1-1 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 11,776
Hateley(88) Crosby(64)
READING 3-1 SOUTHAMPTON 11,537
Lambert(19) Caskey(55) Ostenstadt (49)
Morley(pen:76)
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 7-1 GRIMSBY TOWN 20,590
Humphreys(15,48) Booth(34,69) Oster(66)
Fickling(og:45) Hyde (54) Pembridge (83)
STOKE CITY P-P STOCKPORT COUNTY
WATFORD P-P OXFORD UNITED
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 1-2 PORTSMOUTH 23,626
Ferguson(68) McLoughlin(68) Hall(80)
WREXHAM 1-1 WEST HAM UNITED 9,747
Hughes(6) Porfirio(44)
WYCOMBE WANDERERS P-P BRADFORD CITY