Brave Carlisle were given a standing ovation at Goodison Park for their fighting display against last season’s beaten FA Cup finalists Everton but they ultimately lost 3-1.

Everton had been frustrated for long period by Greg Abbott’s defiant League One side in this third round tie.

And two late goals gave Everton a very flattering victory when the Cumbrians were already thinking about a money-spinning home replay.

James Vaughan put Everton ahead early on and it should have been plane sailing for the Premier League side after that.

But Kevan Hurst’s scuffed equaliser gave Carlisle hope, and they held out until the final minutes when Tim Cahill netted his 50th goal for Everton ahead of an injury-time Leighton Baines penalty.

Youngster Vaughan led the Everton attack with Louis Saha and Ayegbeni injured, while Brazilian front-man Jo has been suspended by the club for returning to South America over the Christmas period without permission.

And Phil Neville started his first match for the hosts since suffering a serious knee injury in September.

But Carlisle, beaten only twice in 14 games, were never overawed by their Premier League opponents.

They fielded a side with top flight experience including Ian Harte, Vincent Pericard and Graham Kavanagh.

The Cumbrians also had Adam Clayton and Tom Taiwo playing in their last match before loan periods end.

The League One side were really up for this third round tie, roared on by 6,000 fans who had braved blizzards and the M6 to get to Merseyside..

And they were rewarded with running and commitment despite suffering a disaster after just 11 minutes.

The last thing Carlisle needed was to concede an early goal, but Clayton’s suicidal back pass almost 40 yards from his own goal gifted Everton the lead.

Vaughan, making his first start of the season, latched onto the ball and rounded goalkeeper Adam Collin to fire into an empty net.

But Carlisle were undaunted. Marouane Fellaini was booked for a foul on Taiwo, and as the free-kick unfolded in Everton’s half, Clayton found himself in space on the left after 17 minutes.

Tim Howard got a hand to his shot, and Kevan Hurst managed a final touch on the line to virtually steal the goal from the youngster.

Vaughan has only just returned after a string of injuries and scored his first Everton goal for two years against Burnley on Boxing Day.

And he was intent on adding to his early strike. He belted home after Tim Cahill’s shot had been turned away by Collin, only to be given offside.

Then he sent a diving header inches wide of the far post from a Leighton Baines cross.

But Carlisle were full of confidence and hounded a nervy Everton into mistakes at every opportunity.

Matthew Robson tested Howard from 20 yards, but Everton were getting their game together and Collin needed to make fine saves from Steven Pienaar and Fellaini to keep his side on level terms.

Carlisle were equally determined after the break. Howard saved from a Clayton 20-yarder - Lucas Neill flat-out injured in the box at the time - before Hurst got in on the right to test the Everton goalkeeper again.

Everton were struggling for any semblance of form against a Carlisle side battling hard all over the pitch.

Frustration from the home crowd was only making their players more tense, although it took a fine save from Collin to keep out a Fellaini drive.

Neville was booked for taking a free-kick too quickly as Everton continued to struggle.

And it could have been worse for Everton after 71 minutes when skipper Danny Livesey rattled the bar from 12 yards.

Everton had the lion’s share of possession in the second period, but created very little. Pienaar’s deflected shot wide after 76 minutes about the best they could muster heading into the final stages.

Carlisle sent on Scotland international Scott Dobie in place of Pericard while Everton replaced Tony Hibbert with Seamus Coleman after 78 minutes.

And Everton’s young Irish full-back played a major part in the home side’s second.

He battled past two men on the right and fired over a cross that Diniyar Bilyaletdinov headed down in the box. Tim Cahill saw one shot blocked by Harte, but regained possession to fire past Collin after 82 minutes.

Carlisle sent on Joe Anyinsah for Kavanagh after 84 minutes, with Everton replacing Vaughan with Kieran Agard a minute later.

An injury-time penalty from Baines, after Collin had brought down Agard, gave Everton a flattering victory. — PA Sport




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