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Everton hammered 5 past Huddersfield Town in a miserable display at Goodison Park on a summer Wednesday night. Town were 2-0 down after only 15 minutes but Gary Roberts determination, that led to an own goal, gave Town a lifeline just before the break. The second half got worse as a dubious penalty was awarded just after the break, which was dispatched, Town went down to 10 men and Everton ran riot scoring another two goals and missing another dubious penalty.

What was disappointing to the Town fans (unless it was just me) that we lacked effort, we didn't at take it to them or at least showed some spirit (like we did when we lost at Blackburn Rovers at the this stage of the Carling Cup 5 years ago although that was a totally different team from today's). Everton dominated most of the game but Town did have a brief 15-20 minute spell when they did show some fight and took it to the highest ranked team in the competition at this stage.

Lee Clark rested key players, Jordan Rhodes and Joe Garner were on the bench, Anthony Pilkington was out after picking up a knock in the defeat at Peterborough United. Gary Naysmith returned from suspension to face his former club in place of Graham Carey who was dropped to the bench. Lee Croft made his first start for Town in a 4-5-1 formation with Theo Robinson playing as a lone front man.
Everton themselves had rotated their squad from the 1-1 draw against Wolves at Goodison Park four days ago. Leighton Baines, John Heitenga, Sylvain Distin, Steven Pienaar and Jermaine Beckford (jeered throughout the game and rightly so!) were the only players kept in the starting 11 that faced Wolves.

Jamie McCombe tested debutant goalkeeper Jan Mucha with a header early on after the defender stayed in attack after coming for a set-piece but it only took 7 minutes for the home side to take the lead.
Lee Peltier didn't stay tight enough to Magaye Gueye, and his cross found the unmarked Maroune Fellaini at the far post, who headed the ball into the roof of the net from around 8 yards out.

Jack Rodwell, back from injury, doubled Everton's lead 7 minutes later. The midfielder ran through the Town midfield and beat Alex Smithies with a low drive from the edge of the area.

Everton at 2-0 must have though the game was over and took their foot off the pedal which allowed Town to slowly get back in the game.

Croft hit the post from 15 yards out after good work by Roberts, but it was Roberts' determination that led to giving Town a lifeline. A boyhood Everton fan and released by Liverpool as a schoolboy, Roberts turned a Joey Gudjonsson cross onto the bar from close range. The ball appeared to be dropping over the line when Heitinga, under pressure from Robinson, put the ball into his own net.

It was hoped that the goal just before the break would breath some life in Town for the second half but it wasn't to be.

Ian Bennett replaced Smithies at half-time with Smithies taken off with a dead leg, and Bennett was soon picking the ball out of his own net as Everton restored their two-goal advantage.

A dubious penalty given by the referee for an apparent foul on Rodwell by Naysmith in the area. Beckford took the kick and sent Bennett the wrong way.

Bennett did well to turn over Beckford's angled shot but it just got a whole lot worse for Town and their loyal supporters. Another dubious penalty when Lee Peltier brought down Seamus Coleman. Peltier, having already been booked, was shown a second yellow and was off, but Heitinga's weak penalty was easily saved by Bennett.

Lee Novak was brought on with 15 minutes left but it was too little too late, as Theo Robinson. Sub Louis Saha made it 4-1 and then Leon Osman late header made it 5-1. Overall a abysmal night on Merseyside.

Sean's Star Man - ???
I have no idea who I should give Town's man of the match to. If you do please e-mail me.

Also if the guy sat behind me reads this why don't you change your career and become a stewards rather than taking it into your own hands to get people to sit down? Tw*t

Teams:

Everton: Mucha, Coleman, Heitinga, Distin, Baines (Hibbert 81), Fellaini, Pienaar (Saha 75), Osman, Rodwell, Gueye (Bilyaletdinov 65), Beckford.
Subs not used: Jagielka, Arteta, Cahill, Howard.

Town: Smithies (Bennett 46), Peltier (Sent off 70), McCombe, P Clarke, Naysmith (Kay 67), Croft, Johnson, Gudjonsson, Arfield, Roberts, Robinson (Novak 75).
Subs not used: Garner, Rhodes, Goodwin, Carey.

Referee: ND Swarbrick (Lancashire)
Attendance: 28,901