Everton FC 2 Tamworth 0 Final Whistle Report

Jan 7 2012 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo

EVERTON FC progressed into the fourth round of the FA Cup courtesy of a drab 2-0 win over non-league side Tamworth.

The Blues failed to muster much excitement in their encounter with Marcus Law’s outfit, but at least avoided any jittery moments against their unfancied opponents thanks to goals from John Heitinga and Leighton Baines.

This was far from a classic cup encounter, and David Moyes will have been largely unconvinced by the auditions of his fringe players who started against the Midlanders.

The sight of Seamus Coleman hobbling off injured again did nothing to boost the mood around Goodison either, even if the overall consolation must be that the next round can only get better for EFC.

Everton took the lead from their first corner, when Heitinga beat his marker and headed home easily at the far post as Tamworth’s defence floundered.

Then Victor Anichebe forced visiting goalkeeper Joe Collister to save with his legs from Magaye Gueye’s low cross into the area.

And James McFadden almost doubled Everton’s lead with a low drive on 24 minutes after he latched onto Diniyar Bilyaletdinov’s back-heeled pass.

While Tamworth were generally laboured and nervy in response, they at least signalled some intent when Kyle Patterson’s fierce shot flew only narrowly wide.

The second half began at a similar slack pace, but Everton should have had a free kick from a dangerous central position outside the area, when Patrick Kanyuka scythed down Marouane Fellaini with a dreadful challenge that somehow evaded the official’s attention.

Everton’s current injury predicament is bad enough, so the last thing Moyes needed was to lose another first team regular. He can only hope now that Coleman's withdrawal is not be for a serious added complication to his previous thigh problem.

Even the introduction of Royston Drenthe failed to add an immediate injection of entertainment, but the Dutchman did raise a smile when he slipped over at his first attempt to run at the Tamworth defence.

At least Bilyaletdinov forced Collister into another save with a vicious shot from 20 yards as the clock ticked down.

A 79th minute spot kick for the Blues failed to raise much more than a brief flurry of excitement, when Sam Habergam was adjudged to have hauled Drenthe over. But reliable as ever, Leighton Baines converted cooly to seal the tie.

Landon Donovan had toiled to little effect, but almost provided a quality finish from open play that the tie had sorely lacked when his 20 yard strike hit the cross bar.

Tamworth, for their part, had applied the odd spell of pressure, and even if there was zero end product to their possession, the visiting fans did their club proud.

EVERTON: (4-4-2) Howard, Neville (Capt), Distin, Heitinga, Coleman (Baines, 57) Fellaini, Bilyaletdinov, Gueye, Donovan, McFadden (Drenthe, 65), Anichebe (Stracqualursi, 73).

Subs not used: Hahnemann, Vellios, Duffy, McAleny.

Bookings:

Goals: Heitinga (5) Baines (Pen, 80)

TAMWORTH: (4-4-2) Collister, Tait, Habergam, Courtney (Capt), Francis, Thomas (Shariff,67) Pastterson, Barrow, Christie (St Aimie, 62), Kanyuka, McKoy.

Subs not used: Hedge, Oji, McDonald, Taylor, Wallen.

Bookings: Collister

Goals: