Everton's season of cup disaster was on the brink of taking a turn for the worse before substitute Leon Osman saved them from further embarrassment.

The Merseysiders have gone out of the Champions League and UEFA Cup as well as finding themselves struggling in the Premiership.

And teenager Marvin Williams, on his full Millwall debut, looked to have grabbed the goal that would have put even further pressure on Everton boss David Moyes.

But just four minutes after coming on for Phil Neville, Wigan lad Osman reacted first when his shot had been saved by brave keeper Andy Marshall to head the goal that gave a grateful Everton a replay.

Millwall were forced to bring Marshall back into the side, having only just recovered from a knee injury, because Birmingham have refused to allow Colin Doyle -- on loan from the Premiership club - to be cuptied.

Zak Whitbread, who has had his loan from Liverpool extended until the end of the season, had been cleared to play.

Everton took the risk of making wholesale changes from the side that beat Charlton last time out. Nigel Martyn (ankle) and Joseph Yobo (shoulder) were out with James Beattie, Duncan Ferguson and Osman rested to the bench. Richard Wright, David Weir, Marcus Bent, James McFadden and Phil Neville all came in.

Everton started with purpose before being forced into errors by a belligerent home side.

Tim Cahill's desire to make an impact against his former club was shown in the first minute when Tony Hibbert and Bent combined down the right to produce a cross which was hooked a foot over the bar by the Aussie midfielder.

But Millwall's desire and graft started to catch Everton in possession and Barry Cogan went down in the box under a Cahill tackle but referee Ron Styles waved away penalty appeals.

Then 18-year-old Williams embarrassed Nuno Valente by battling to keep in play a ball the Portuguese thought would run out and the resulting cross caused much consternation in the Everton box.

Bent saw a header blocked, as Everton toiled to find gaps. Millwall kept plugging away and, when David Livermore nodded down in the box, Wright needed to be quick to grasp the ball from Williams' toes.

Then Ben May sent in a fierce low header that evaded Wright on 27 minutes and was kicked off the line by Hibbert.

But Everton should have taken the lead when Paul Robinson's slipped in the box presented McFadden an open goal, but Marshall was out quickly to make a fine block. Even then the ball ran to Cahill, who managed to hoist a 12 yarder high over the bar.

But Millwall's persistence brought them the lead on 38 minutes. Young Williams, making his full debut, had given Weir problems with his pace already and when May lifted a ball over the defence, Williams was able to evade Weir and brush aside Matteo Ferrari to leave the onrushing Wright stranded with a toe-poke into the far corner.

Millwall attempted to build on their lead straight after the break when Marvin Elliott saw a diving header from Cogan's free-kick fly inches over the bar.

Paul Robinson was then booked for bringing down McFadden before referee Styles refused what looked a clear Everton penalty when Cogan pulled Valente's shirt in the box, no more than 10 yards from the official.

Mikel Arteta was next into the book for a trip on Cogan before Everton sent on Ferguson and Beattie for Bent and McFadden on 59 minutes.

Weir's problems with Williams saw him booked when the youngster had got away from the Scot again, dragging the Millwall player to the ground. From the free-kick, Wright saved superbly from a May drive.

Kevin Kilbane missed a six yard box sitter on 71 minutes, Marshall scrambling the ball away.

Arteta spun a free-kick just over the bar before Osman replaced Neville with 16 minutes left.

Hibbert's cross then produced a diving header from Ferguson that Marshall turned away, the Toffees now desperate for an equaliser.

And it came on 78 minutes following Kilbane's cross from the left. Osman met it first time and Marshall blocked the effort but the Everton midfielder was first to react and headed the rebound into the net.

Marshall then scrambled back to tip over an Osman chip as Everton surged forward. Ferguson, from the corner, saw a header turned away by the Millwall 'keeper, who made a later flying save from the Scottish striker.

Kilbane and Osman both wasted clear chances to win the match in injury time.

Teams:

Millwall Marshall, Robinson, Lawrence, Whitbread, Craig, Williams, Elliott, Livermore, Cogan, May, Braniff (Fangueiro 83).

Subs Not Used: Phillips, Weston, Pooley, Hendry.

Booked: Robinson.

Goals: Williams 39.

Everton Wright, Hibbert, Weir, Ferrari, Nuno Valente, Arteta, Cahill, Neville (Osman 74), Kilbane, Bent (Ferguson 59), McFadden (Beattie 59).

Subs Not Used: Turner, Naysmith.

Booked: Arteta, Weir.

Goals: Osman 79.

Att: 16,440

Ref: R Styles (Hampshire).