Half-time: 0 - 1; Full-time: 1 - 1 

There was much talk in the match programme about starting well, how we'd not done that of late, the United game apart; how we'd shown good spirit to battle back from goals down in a number games this season and how we hadn't lost a game we'd scored in first. Good words and good intentions from the management team. It seemed from the on-field action though that the only people who had heard the words were the two who'd written them, 'cos it couldn't have been the players.

First Half

An abysmal performance in the first half was brought sharply into focus by the sight of a good footballing side (Sunderland, in case you wondered) finding their first real chance of the night coming from a route one-er of the finest quality. A long punt from keeper Sorensen found Materazzi expecting the ball to drift beyond him to the waiting Myhre. Bridges, of course, had read a different script. He'd read the striker's script (that's the one that has obviously seen the censor's pen strike out all the lines which refer to finding the back of the net, chasing after the ball and finding a team mate with a pass, as far as Everton is concerned). He raced onto the ball that Materazzi had left and pushed it coolly past the bemused Myrhe.

It was as if "this sort of thing just never happens in training" or "its my ball, you're not supposed to do that", was going through their minds at that point. Don't get me wrong, I'm not singling out Myhre or Materazzi for special criticism because the whole team was guilty of the same sort of attitude. There were one or two who were less guilty than others, but a certain laissez-faire seems to have found its way back into the hearts and minds of the blue boys (no specific criticism intended there of the French speaking contingent either!) over the last month or so.

The answer to this sort of state of mind is to find, at the moment of crisis, the leader who will wake you up from your torpor, shake you by the scruff of the neck and instill a feeling of invincibility and a sense of destiny. We didn't find that person last night.

Second Half

The first half is best consigned to history and the same could be said for most of the second. The sight of Cleland replacing Dacourt at the start of the second half only reinforced the sense of gloom which held Goodison in its thrall. Dacourt had run hard in the first half, delivered a few good balls but generally had been below par; maybe the result of an injury he was carrying, maybe just a participant in the general lethargy of the night. He'd been of the few bright spots, Hutchison's tireless running and Cadamarteri's intermittent sojourns along the right wing being the others.

When, half way through the second half, all three had been replaced (my money had been on Dunne going off, Ball dropping back to left back in a flat back four, and Oster coming on to play up the left touch-line with Cad staying on the right) it seemed that we'd thrown in the towel and were just going to give the other two substitutes, Grant and Oster, a run out.

How wrong we were.

What happened in the last twenty minutes was the finest dramatisation of Jekyll and Hyde I've seen. It was almost immediate. I commented a few weeks ago about Grant totally dominating the mini-derby, cocky, lively, strutting his stuff. Last night he did it when it mattered. He dropped slightly deeper than any of the midfielders had done up until then, giving the rest of the team a bit of space in which to move. His distribution was superb, his endeavour a beacon of light in the darkness which had gone before.

Suddenly we were going forward, threatening Sunderland as never before. Strikes on goal, such a rarity before his appearance, were now a regular thing. He got Collins moving into areas of the pitch he'd only dreamed of. We moved with pace and we moved with purpose. Bakayoko was felled just outside the box and cries of anguish went up as we realised that Olly wasn't on the pitch to convert the set piece. No fear. Up stepped Collins. Whack, 1 - 1, top left hand corner as he looked at it, cue unbridled joy.

After that it was a case of how many would we score. Oster, brimful of confidence after his recent outstanding performances for the reserves, taunted the Sunderland defence with a dazzling display reminiscent of his early performances. Not much for the boo boys to crow about last night. Again and again we surged forward, but still we lacked that killer touch.

This is part was due to the overwhelming desire to hoist the ball to Ferguson's head at every opportunity. Over the years I've been admirer of Duncan and sung his praises with the best of them. But last night was the sorriest display in a long time. He can't be blamed, of course, for the fact that he gets the ball in the air, in areas where he's not going to get a reasonable chance of doing something useful, but except when everyone had started buzzing after Grant and Oster came on he hadn't really made any meaningful contribution at all.

And yet we had persisted in giving the ball away to Sunderland after they had invariably picked up the loose ball which was the inevitable consequence of the Ferguson Flick. As captain his job surely should have been to direct the play away from himself and into the wide areas where the telling ball could be delivered. If that's the job of the Captain, then Duncan ain't doing his job. If he can't do the job, it should be given to someone who can.

Yet with Grant and Oster giving the Sunderland defence all sorts of problems, the flicks started to reach blue shirted players. The problem was they generally went backwards when this happened and those intended for a forward-running Everton player generally found their way to the Sunderland defence.

The last fifteen minutes flew by and a further 3 minutes stoppage time came and went. Mike Reed, who'd had a generally satisfactory game as the whipping boy official, blew up for time and it was on to extra-time.

The break between normal and extra time gave time for reflection on what had gone before. We'd been outplayed and, despite other comments about "journeymen" and "lower league players" we'd been outclassed. As the Sunderland fans had sung about Blaydon Races, we patently had not been at them. We'd got this far on a display orchestrated by two players in the last twenty minutes. Sunderland up to now, were a head on points, but nevertheless, reeling on the ropes.

Extra Time

Extra-time.... and what might have been. Two off the post, a couple of glaring misses and two scintillating efforts, one from Oster cutting in from the right, and one from Bakayoko moving in from the left, were cleared by the Sunderland defence.

The first had been a good stop from the keeper, the second had been a fortuitous (initially) head placement from a defender. I say fortuitous (initially) because I still don't know how he'd dragged himself (the defender that is) off the ground and back into the game, still with a head on his shoulders. He went down, as if pole-axed, to the most ferocious drive I've seen in a long time, from Bakayoko. Play was stopped for a couple of minutes while he recovered. And recover he had to, because Sunderland, like us, had already made their full quota of substitutions.

If we'd been behind on points at the end of normal time, we were ahead by the end of extra-time, but still Sunderland were not out of it. Sadly, this was through our own inability to score rather than their quality in defence. So it was down to penalties.

Penalty Shootout

I've never been a great fan of penalty shootouts, they've generally seemed to be such tense affairs, yet last night I seemed to reach some sort of plane of serenity on which it didn't matter that I was quaking in my boots, I was going to enjoy this. After our record with penalties of late (it almost worth conceding one against to ensure we don't score) we would either live up to expectations or reach untold heights. I favoured the first though I hoped for the second.

The first three for either side found the net unerringly. Despite the contorted expressions of concentration and self-encouragement on Tommy's face each time he made his way to the line, he went the wrong way each time as the ball went to his left on each occasion. Then came the fourth round, and as the Sunderland player's strike hit the bar and flew up into the air there was a glimmer of hope and the feeling of serenity disappeared to be replaced by a gut wrenching tension as little Johnny Oster made his way forward. Gone was the swagger and the cheek he'd displayed in the game earlier, there was a nervousness about Oster that threatened to engulf him.

And so it did as he hit the ball high and wide in what must be one of the poorest penalties I've seen. it was a cruel turn for him after such a sparkling return to first team action. So, 3-3 and on to the last two. No problems there as both were converted.

At 4-4 and sudden death, the Sunderland players must have felt awful, with memories of the play-offs last May. But it didn't show as the sixth strike from them marked the fifth conversion. The pressure was on now and the Captain Braveheart would stride up and put the pressure back on the Wearsiders...

A moment of hesitation, nobody wants to take it. Bakayoko, not Ferguson, takes off his sweat top and makes his way to the box. He's stopped by the referee's assistant and asked to remove the T-shirt he was wearing over his Everton Shirt. Further delay. He eventually reaches the box and strikes the ball low to the left. Sorensen leaps towards it and pushes it away. 6,000 Sunderland fans went mental. 5-4 to them – they're through!

We could only wonder why our captain had failed us.

He'd failed to lift our spirits, he'd failed to find the target, despite several chances and he'd spurned the chance to level the score on penalties. I'd never questioned him before last night. In open play there's always the excuse that "it was a poor ball", "we don't get them into the box to him", "there were three around him but he still managed to find the target". According to the Opta statistics, quoted in the match programme, Duncan is the most accurate, if not the most prolific, striker in the Premiership. But when there was no hiding place he found a corner to hide in.

After that it can never be the same. It was like a marriage spoiled by a casual affair: the trust was gone; the feeling of being the last to know the real truth was all that I could think about as I walked to the car. The feeling was echoed around me.

The legend was no more.

Now for the perspective.....maybe....

After the dust has settled on last night we may yet see it as some sort of turning point. A "Heath" moment as we found Grant and Oster. But the real turning point may come in 10 days time when we play Newcastle, with Duncan's enforced absence requiring a change of mind-set amongst the players. Play the ball on the ground, through the defence.

With Bakayoko running forwards onto meaningful passes rather than scratching around for the leftovers of flick-ons, we may yet see a new dimension to his play. I would hope we persevere with Grant and Oster; how can they be left out after their performances last night? And I would hope we continue in the disciplined approach to play we had last night, a needless booking of Materazzi for an innocuous challenge the only blemish I can remember on the night.

My man-of-the match - Grant, by a whisker from Oster.

Sunderland were really impressive in the first half. They played the type of football everybody is talking about these days, and they had a banner to show just that..."We've got what everyone wants - sexy attacking football and goals goals goals".

They totally overran us, but their goal was hardly sexy.  However, their dominance was mainly due to the fact that Everton were totally dysfunctional.

When Dacourt failed to return and was replaced by Cleland, we didn't know what was in Smith's mind, but it gave us the width we needed over on right. [Turns out that Olivier Dacourt was coming down with the same lurgy which had laid low David Unsworth – Ed].

Then came the double substitution, which meant Collins went back in centre midfield, with Grant (absolute class).  Oster, who had his best game ever for Everton – despite the penalty miss – hugged the touchline on the right. With Cleland in support, we dragged them all over the pitch.

Dunne went to left back, with Ball wider on the right. Then came the equaliser. Collins got us back in to the game with the elegance that his wages command – a beautiful free-kick curled into the top corner.

Then Dunc hit the post, as did Baka, but we just could not score another goal. Extra time was full of nearly's, but we really must learn to start taking our chances, because they were ours for the taking. The problem needs to be addressed URGENTLY.

And so it was on the penalty shoot-out...

You can't really say much except that we were unlucky. You can't blame the takers because they had the bottle to Stand up and take them.

However, I was totally disgusted with the attitude of Duncan Ferguson at this time because, as captain and centre forward, he should have been one of the first names on the list.

When Sunderland missed their pen, their players, Niall Quinn in particular was right over there to console him, but when Bakayoko missed his, his team mates just left the field, leaving him with his head in his hands. This is the one thing that annoys me about Ferguson, he seems to have little to say to encourage, or console teammates, and his behaviour in leaving the field, along with others may I add, was despicable.

Individuals, Colin Berry

• Myhre 6- couple of decent saves but slightly at fault for the goal. His distribution is crap, but he didn't have a bad game really
• Cleland 7 - Came on for Olly and performed well.
• Short 6- Solid enough but distribution ain't up to much, tended to just about recover whenever he made a mistake.
• Dunne 7 - slightly dodgy start in that he seemed a bit nervous and uncomfortable on the ball, rapidly improved though, and put in a very decent performance for each position he found himself in.
• Materazzi 7 - Partly at fault for the goal, but otherwise solid all night
• Ball 7 - Looked far more comfortable at left back, Unsworth shouldn't have bothered coming back.
• Collins 6 - After that brilliant free-kick he did start to actually play some decent stuff, but he needs to play consistently well – not just 5 minutes here and there. I actually think he was embarrassed into action - Grant came on and made Collins look even worse, as Grant did everything Collins should have been doing, so Collins realised he had to actually shift his arse and play.
• Dacourt 6 - Seemed to take a knock quite early on, perservered til half time but not 100%
• Cadamarteri 6- at times he looked positive and reasonably dangerous, other times he didn't look for the ball.
• Hutchinson 6 - he is the epitome of good or bad – no in-between... which is why I say he was indifferent. When tackling he either gets the ball really well or looks extremely dangerous and lucky to not cripple his opponent. His passes are either good or very bad. Basically, one minute he does something decent the next he looks like a Sunday league player.
• Grant 8 - Had him and Oster not walked on the pitch we would have been out earlier than we were. They provided youthful enthusiasm and skill. Both players looked for the ball all the time, and when they had it, beat players and passed well. Grant did more last night than Collins has done all season.
• Oster 8 - See above. For all those old booo boys of Oster's – see how much better he can be when he isn't jeered every time he touches the ball? Linked up well with Grant, Cleland and Bakayoko on numerous occasions, must all start on Sunday.
• Ferguson 4 - without doubt he has to now be recognised as a chicken. He is club captain and the main striker yet he didn't have the balls to take a penalty, obviously couldn't take the pressure, pure and simply GUTLESS. Instead he lets kids step up and take the responsibility. I find it disgusting, that our number 9 won't take a penalty. Oh and the rest of his performance all night wasn't too hot either. Yes I still think we should keep him, and I still think he is more than decent, but last seriously damaged my blind loyalty towards the big man.
• Bakayoko 7 - started slowly, though this may have been down to not being given a pass. At times he looked good and dangerous, always willing to try something, even if it didn't come off, linked up well with Oster, Grant and Cleland. Other times though he drifted out too far from the box looking for little passes, when he should have been in the area, waiting to stick the ball in the net. Some more time and I think he'll settle and score, for those who say 'how long, he's had six games' Anelka had a poor first 20 games for Arsenal, he doesn't look too bad now though does he?

Early on I thought the balance the line-up gave us was going to pay dividends. We passed it quite neatly and looked OK. It didn’t last, Sunderland started to get the better of midfield and passed the ball distinctly better than we did. Collins started to appear in a more central position and our early balance and relative width was gone.

It has to be said that we were desperately poor in the first half. Sunderland were definitely better than us and deserved their lead which came from a colossal punt up-field from their keeper. I had a crap position just behind the goal at the Park End (it seemed that 90% of the goal mouth action was at the far end and we were unable to make any sense of most of what happened) and was only able to see Michael Bridges running clear on goal, he did very well to control it and steer it past Tommy who stood no chance.

The second half brought a change as Cleland came on for Dacourt. It also saw us switch to 5-3-2, Cleland and Ball went to wing back, Short, Materazzi and Dunne were strung across the back, Hutchison and Collins were central midfield with Cadamarteri keeping his advanced wide role. The changes brought an improvement without us really looking like making inroads, but at least we were matching Sunderland.

Our fortunes improved further with a double substitution, Grant came on for Hutchison and Oster came on for Cadamarteri. Initially I was surprised at who he brought off but you can’t really argue with the transformation it brought. Grant instantly started controlling midfield and at last our passing started to get going. Oster’s reported good form from the reserves was carried through to the first team as he put in one of his best performances, he was eager, lively and involved in a number of good attacking movements.

It still took a set piece to get us back in contention. Bakayoko was fouled just outside the box. Collins and Materazzi lined up the free kick but it was Collins who took it, curling it round the wall and just inside the post (something I had an excellent view of from my dodgy vantage point).

We continued to press for the winner, and we definitely deserved it. Sunderland’s goal started to live a charmed life as we failed to convert pressure into chances. This continued through the extra time period. Apparently we hit the post twice, all I could see was numerous occasions when I was left wondering how on earth the ball failed to find the net.

There also seemed to bit of profligacy – Oster missing badly, and Ball failing with a free header – and a bit of trying to walk the ball into the back of the net. Sunderland rode out their luck and it was down to penalties.

With our record from the spot it didn’t look promising. Our three obvious penalty takers went first, Ball and Collins scored with excellent penalties, Materazzi with one where it was fortunate the keeper went the wrong way. Sunderland then hit the bar but John Oster spurned the advantage. He was one of those you just didn’t fancy for the kick.

Grant converted with expected coolness, as did the Sunderland player. It was now sudden death and it was clear we didn’t have anyone who wanted to accept responsibility. Bakayoko eventually came forward but his whole demeanour made us fear the worst. Alas we were proved right, his penalty lacked both pace and accuracy and was comfortably saved by the keeper.

Naturally attention will focus on the penalty shoot-out. Many will blame Bakayoko and Oster for missing, and indeed Ferguson for not taking a penalty. But we lost the game through our inept first 45 minutes, and then for failing to convert our pressure into goals, a recurring theme for us this season. This was really a return to our pre-Man Utd and Arsenal form, a slow start but then showing resilience and resolve to claw our way back into the game.

Individual Performances

• Myrhe 7 No chance with the goal and dealt competently with everything else he was asked to do. A worrying ability to guess the wrong way with penalties, he didn’t get close to saving any of their penalties.
• Dunne 6 All at sea in the first half at right back. More comfortable after the break in a more central position.
• Ball 6 I really do worry about his positional play, technically he is excellent – good tackler and good passer – but seems to get dragged about too much.
• Short 6 OK.
• Materazzi 7 Another good performance. Always looks at ease and once again the pick of the defenders.
• Cadamarteri 6 No doubting his willingness but unfortunately not too much comes of it.
• Hutchison 6 Thought he started really well but then faded somewhat.
• Dacourt 6 Definitely seems to have gone off the boil a little, still not playing badly, just not as well as he was.
• Bakayoko 6 Woeful in the first half, a little better in the second when we played it on the deck a little more. Absolutely no understanding with Dunc yet.
• Ferguson 6 Not one of his better days. Linked up well on the deck when Grant got things going, he can definitely play when the ball is on the deck. Pity we don’t utilise that more.
• Cleland 6 Walter’s preference for playing centre back’s ahead of Cleland utterly bemuses me. Once again he looked like a neat and tidy player who defends well and can get forward to good effect.
• Grant 7 The transformation he made to our passing was amazing to witness. Suddenly he’s demanding the ball, making himself available, finding blue shirts, all deceptively easy stuff but no-one else could manage it. His technique is streets ahead of the rest of our team, when he traps the ball it stops dead at his feet, he is comfortable on either foot and rarely gives the ball away. I believe he has the ability to be a MAJOR talent, it’s just a question of whether he has the physical durability to get there.
• Oster 7 A very encouraging appearance. Linked well with Grant and always looked dangerous. Deserves a chance, not least from the crowd.

Team 6 - 5 for the first half, 7 for the rest of the game. Again showed encouraging resilience to come from behind, but why do they always have to make life hard for themselves.

Man of the match - Materazzi maybe deserves it for his overall contribution, but Tony Grant gets it because he made the difference and got us back in the match.

The depleted First Division leaders took a battering for much of the night at Goodison Park, but somehow found the composure to snatch the result and a place in the quarter-finals when it seemed their legs must surely fail them.

A side which already looked exhausted did very well to take the game into extra time and then to weather a further Everton onslaught to set-up a shoot-out which did not reach its nail-biting climax until 10.50pm. It was then, after three perfect spot-kicks from each side, that Chris Makin thought he had cost Sunderland the tie when his effort hit the bar. But next up was John Oster, who missed. One more success from each side took even the penalties into extra time. Niall Quinn tucked his into the bottom corner, but Ibrahima Bakayoko put his too close enough to Thomas Sorensen, who dived right to save.

Sunderland, without half a dozen of the players who have given them their marvellous start to the season, gave as good as they got in the first half, showing their capacity for feeding off scraps when they took the lead in 28 minutes. It was a goal of stark simplicity and clinical execution, Michael Bridges taking a huge clearance from Sorensen in his stride and slotting it past the advancing Thomas Myhre.

Along with their centre-back, Paul Butler, the lively Bridges was a casualty of the second half as Sunderland began to run out of numbers.

Everton were unimpressive before the break, but switched to a 3-5-2 formation and gathered momentum, especially when they brought on two more substitutes, Oster and Tony Grant, midway through the half.

From then on, it was a test of the resilience of Peter Reid's side on his return to Goodison. They finally cracked when the substitute Jody Craddock fouled Bakayoko in a threatening position just outside the D. John Collins stepped up and his shot was always curling ominously past Sorensen's right hand.

Collins had two more shots in normal time, one saved and one wide, but the best chance to win the game without recourse to the extra half hour came when Sorensen parried Duncan Ferguson's effort and Bakayoko back-heeled against the post.

The pattern continued in extra time, with Bakayoko pulling the ball back for Oster to fire narrowly wide and Ferguson getting a touch to Collin's shot that sent it inches off target.

Like a fighter trapped on the ropes who refuses to fall down Sunderland managed an assault of their own, their 18-year-old substitute, Mike Procter, having a shot blocked and then missing with his follow-up.

The siege was resumed when Ferguson hit the post, however, but still Sunderland clung on to take a contest delayed for 15 minutes at the start into penalties and almost up to the 11th hour of the 11th day.

That the guilty man from 12 yards this time around should be Ibrahima Bakayoko, Everton's Ivory Coast striker, will surprise no one who has watched Walter Smith's side this season. The bulky forward is struggling to adjust to the English game, and his assimilation will have suffered a setback last night, judging by his disconsolate trudge to the tunnel after his penalty was saved by Tomas Sorenson.

It was a miss that Everton may rue for months, given that a cup run is the only chance of breaking up a grim winter struggle against relegation. Like their Liverpool neighbours 24 hours earlier, however, they were outplayed for too long on their own pitch by a supposedly inferior side, and could hardly complain at the late-night outcome, even though they struck the post twice in a spirited fightback.

The game kicked off 15 minutes late to allow all the spectators time to take their seats, and there was always a feeling that it might be a long night between two evenly matched teams.

Sunderland's football for the first hour was fluent, confident and befitting of a side that is unlikely to be budged from its perch at the top of the Nationwide League first division this season. The lower-league team did not appear to feel any trepidation at coming to Goodison Park, and with good cause. Everton have yet to record an FA Carling Premiership victory at home.

Smith's team has shown patchy form this season, their most recent display a woeful one at Arsenal, and once again last night they lacked someone to carry the ball forward, until the late introduction of John Oster.

The home supporters had jeered his arrival in place of Danny Cadamarteri, but Oster was comfortably Everton's most influential player as the game went into extra time.

He beat more opponents in his first three minutes than the entire Everton side had managed in the previous 65, and offered a refreshing change from the ponderous attacks that had preceded his arrival.

Everton had laboured dreadfully with a predictable and static midfield. Suddenly, though, they were attacking with confidence and had plenty of chances as Bakayoko and Ferguson hit the woodwork and a stream of opportunities flashed narrowly wide.

Sunderland will probably feel that they should never have allowed the game to last so long. They had enjoyed much the better chances early on and should have been ahead earlier than the 28th minute. Niall Quinn, given the benefit of the doubt by a linesman, was allowed to run at goal, but lacked the necessary pace and Craig Short made a recovering tackle.

There was no stopping Bridges, though, when a huge clearance from Sorenson flew over the Everton back line. The former England Under-21 striker showed the touch that once made him one of the country's best young prospects as he brought the ball down, and Marco Materazzi was helpless to intervene as Bridges aimed and fired into the bottom corner from 15 yards.

The introduction of Oster brought a vast improvement in Everton's play, and they drew level in the 74th minute, when John Collins curled a perfect free kick into the top corner from 20 yards. On they went to extra time and penalties, where Chris Makin for Sunderland and Oster were the only players to miss before Bakayoko's crucial shot brought an end to a miserable 24 hours on Merseyside.

The scored had tied at 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra time. Michael Bridges had confirmed their clear first-half supremacy over Everton, were eventually hanging on for their lives after a John Collins free kick injected life into Everton.

The Merseysiders dominated the closing stages of normal time and then controlled extra time but could not break through again and eventually succumbed on penalties, Ibrahima Bakayoko their recent Ivory Coast recruit, missing the decisive spot kick after the requisite five kicks apiece had brought four goals to both teams.

Much is made of the supposed gulf between the top of the Nationwide League and the bottom of the Premiership but that did not faze Sunderland who swaggered around Goodison in the manner that their manager Peter Reid had a decade earlier.

It was no surprise that the First Division leaders – unbeaten in 22 previous matches – claimed an interval lead. The only surprise at the end of that period, which did not begin until 8.15pm because of massive support for this much-maligned competition, was the margin of their advantage.

Bridges, who took the chance to score for the eighth time this season with aplomb, the striker racing behind a sleeping Everton defence on to a hefty clearance by goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen to shoot past Thomas Myhre, should have added another soon afterwards.

On that occasion sprinted on to Allan Johnston's pass to expose Everton's slack defending again. While his previous shot had been sharp and confident, this effort lacked power and Myhre made a simple save.

Sunderland, who have been prevented from scoring this season only by Bradford City, could also have embarrassed Everton when Niall Quinn sneaked behind their static defence but Short was able to overtake him and make an important saving tackle.

Threats from Everton at Goodison this season have been collector's items and that trend continued here. Typically their most dangerous moment involved Duncan Ferguson meeting a Don Hutchison corner – flicked on by Short – but the header from the big Scottish striker went straight to Sorensen.

Everton tried to raise their own tempo after the interval but they still caused few alarms to a Sunderland defence which had to be reshuffled because of an injury to Paul Butler. Sunderland were also inconvenienced by the loss of their scorer Bridges on the hour but remained composed in protecting their advantage.

Walter Smith, Everton's worried manager, had sent on Alex Cleland at the start of the second half following a facial injury to Olivier Dacourt and the Scottish defender set up the rarity of a chance for Michael Ball who was unable to get a glancing header on target.

Everton's equaliser came when Bakayoko was fouled 30 yards out, allowing Collins to thread a sweet shot past the diving Sorensen.

Bolton Wanderers  1          Wimbledon  2             7,868
Jensen 52.                   Gayle 16, Kennedy 63.
Liverpool  1                 Tottenham Hotspur  3    20,772 
Owen 81.                     Iversen 2, Scales 20, Nielsen 62.
Luton Town  1                Barnsley  0              8,435
Gray 81.

Arsenal  0                   Chelsea  5               37,562 
                             Leboeuf pen:34, Vialli 49,73, Poyet 65,80 
Everton 1                    Sunderland  1            28,132  4-5 on pens
Collins 74                   Bridges 29
Leicester City  2            Leeds United  1          20,161
Izzet 88, Parker pen:90      Kewell 17
Manchester United  2         Nottingham Forest  1     37,237
Solskjaer 57 , 60            Stone 68
Newcastle United  1          Blackburn Rovers  1      34,702  2-4 on pens
Shearer 9                    Sherwood 30