Everton eased into the Fourth Round with a comfortable victory over League Two Dagenham and Redbridge.
Arouna Kone and Kevin Mirallas ensured an obvious gulf in class told, even if the 2-0 scoreline was far from emphatic – the hosts needing an 85th minute penalty to consolidate their advantage and secure progession.
Roberto Martinez made wholesale changes, but the Premier League experience was still vast.
As much as utilise fringe players, this was an opportunity for Martinez to welcome back recently absent first-teamers.
• Tie held up after cat wanders onto pitch
Phil Jagielka returned from knee ligament damage and Steven Pienaar, whose suffered multiple muscle injuries in the last 12 months, started for the first time since December 2014. Pienaar played 76 minutes on his comeback.
Kone heads home Everton's first goal
The League Two side repelled Everton for 32 minutes, but the difference in quality was evident from the early stages, without the home side locating a cutting edge.
Dagenham and Redbridge keeper Mark Cousins made an excellent save from Ramiro Funes Mori’s dipping shot, and Aaron Lennon hopelessly wasted the easiest of chances when sent clear by Kevin Mirallas
Arouna Koné reels away in celebration after putting Everton ahead at Goodison Park
Lennon had the option of shooting or gifting Kone a tap-in, but did neither, scuffing an attempted cross wide.
Kone would not be denied and Everton’s opening goal was an exercise simplicity. Bryan Oviedo’s free-kick was floated into the six yard box where the African striker barely had to shrug off a challenge from Christian Doidge to head in his sixth of the season – although it was his first in ten games.
Miralles slots home his penalty
Funes Mori was forced off in first half injury time after a head collision with Ashley Hemmings, giving rookie defender Matthew Pennington an opportunity. It was Pennington’s second appearance for the club.
Everton continued to dominate possession in the second half, the hope for visiting manager John Still being the Merseysiders’ failure to put the outcome in any doubt much sooner.
Joel Robles was a spectator for the home side, but Lennon and Mirallas – who’ve spent most of the season on the bench – were not offering a compelling argument for Premier League recalls.
A cat made its way onto the pitch during the second-half, to much mirth
Shots from distance were of greater concerns to Cousins, Oviedo again stinging his fingers on 72 minutes, and Kone was inches wide with another header as the visitors retained dreams of forcing a replay.
Such fanciful hopes were extinguished when Mirallas was tripped by Nyron Nosworthy on 84 minutes, the Belgian stepping up to convert the penalty.
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