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Everton send defending champs tumbling

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  • Everton send defending champs tumbling

    Chelsea's defence of the FA Cup came to an end as Everton scraped into the fifth round on penalties after Ashley Cole missed in the shoot-out.
    The initial tie at Goodison Park last month failed to separate the sides and the replay at Stamford Bridge turned out to be just as close, with the scoreline goalless at 90 minutes and then 1-1 after extra time.
    Frank Lampard's strike in the 104th minute had looked set to seal success for the Blues, until Leighton Baines curled in a stunning free-kick right at the death.
    Baines saw his spot-kick saved in the shoot-out, but Nicolas Anelka's penalty was also kept out by Tim Howard before Cole's wayward effort over the bar allowed Phil Neville to score the winner.
    Everton had been impressive in the opening 45 minutes but it was Chelsea who carved out the better chances and Howard was called upon to make several fine saves.
    Referee Phil Dowd was then tested on the stroke of half-time as Ramires went down after attempting to go round Howard, but it was judged to be a dive and the Brazilian was awarded only a yellow card.
    Chelsea continued to look the more threatening after the break and only an instinctive point-blank stop from Howard prevented Lampard from breaking the deadlock with a poked effort.
    Everton then thought they had snatched victory in the 89th minute when Marouane Fellaini reacted quickest to fire home a rebound, only to discover the flag was up for offside.
    The decisive moment appeared to have arrived in the first period of extra time when substitute Anelka's cross was chested down by Didier Drogba for Lampard to provide the finish.
    However, with just over a minute of the contest remaining Everton won a free-kick just outside the area and Baines stepped up to equalise brilliantly.
    Everton then held their nerve in the shoot-out to set up a home date with Reading in the next round.
    Point to prove

    With visiting boss David Moyes having branded Sunday's defeat at Bolton one of the worst performances of his near nine-year reign, the Merseysiders certainly had a point to prove.
    The same could be said for Drogba, who was controversially axed in favour of Fernando Torres for Monday night's goalless draw at Fulham.
    But the Ivorian looked far from sharp early on and needed several minutes of touchline treatment after an innocuous Phil Jagielka challenge in the 14th minute.
    Chelsea should have taken a 20th-minute lead when the post saved Jagielka from glancing in an own goal from Lampard's free-kick and John Terry skied the close-range rebound.
    Blocks from Sylvain Distin and Howard then prevented Lampard and Florent Malouda putting the home side ahead after excellent work from the recalled Salomon Kalou down the right.
    Drogba then held off Jagielka and produced a brilliant through-ball for Malouda, whose clipped finish was saved by the feet of Howard.
    Malouda picked up the game's first yellow card for clattering into Seamus Coleman and Ramires followed in controversial fashion on the stroke of half-time after being adjudged to have dived in the box under a challenge from Howard.
    Ancelotti withdrew John Obi Mikel for the axed Michael Essien during the interval.
    Baines and Coleman were booked for fouls on Ramires and Branislav Ivanovic before bad marking saw Lampard send a free header off target from Drogba's free-kick.
    The recalled Leon Osman almost made him pay by glancing a Baines free-kick too close to Petr Cech before Distin was carded for scything down Ivanovic and Chelsea missed two gilt-edged chances to break the deadlock 25 minutes from time.
    Buoyed

    Lampard made a hash of a close-range finish from Ramires' cross, allowing Howard to block, with Ivanovic then seeing another point-blank effort thwarted by men on the line.
    Ramires' grass-cutter drifted wide before Diniyar Bilyaletdinov replaced Tim Cahill for the final 20 minutes.
    Buoyed by Chelsea's wastefulness, Everton went close themselves when a good move ended with Coleman heading too close to Cech.
    The hosts became increasingly desperate and Lampard flashed wide from 25 yards before Everton withdrew the disappointing Beckford for Victor Anichebe.
    The substitute immediately went close to connecting with Bilyaletdinov's cross but Chelsea missed their latest golden chance when Lampard chipped over the bar from Malouda's lay-off.
    With just a minute remaining, Fellaini thought he had dumped the holders out when he netted after Baines' right-foot strike had been fumbled by Cech, but the midfielder had already been flagged offside.
    Chelsea finally threw on Anelka at the start of extra time, Malouda making way, with Everton soon following by introducing John Heitinga for Osman.
    Drogba chipped just over and Lampard screwed a low left-footer wide before finally putting the home side ahead thanks to great work from Anelka.
    The substitute got himself free down the right and his cross was miscontrolled by Drogba but fell perfectly for Lampard to rifle home from 10 yards.
    Amazing

    Chelsea withdrew Kalou for the final 10 minutes, with Yuri Zhirkov making his first appearance for more than three months.
    Mikel Arteta was carded for felling Essien as Everton tried to level and they did so with seconds remaining thanks to a brilliant Baines free-kick.
    Ivanovic fouled Jagielka 25 yards out and Baines stepped up to curl a wonderful strike into the top corner.
    Howard spilt Essien's 25-yarder in stoppage-time but regathered to take the tie to penalties.
    Chelsea had lost six of their previous seven shoot-outs but held an immediate advantage when Cech saved from Baines after Lampard had scored.
    However, Anelka foolishly tried to chip Howard with the hosts' third penalty and it stayed level until Cole ballooned over the bar with their fifth.
    Everton captain Neville stepped up and found the top corner to seal an amazing win.
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