Journeyman striker Nigel Jemson dumped Barclaycard Premiership Everton out of the FA Cup with a precious double as Shrewsbury recorded the surprise of the FA Cup third round.

The 33-year-old former Nottingham Forest man, currently playing for his 13th different club, smashed home a 38th-minute free-kick and then, after substitute Niclas Alexandersson had levelled on the hour, glanced an 89th-minute header past Richard Wright to seal a famous victory.

It was little more than the Nationwide Division Three outfit deserved on a day when Jemson and 21-year-old sidekick Luke Rodgers outshone man-of-the moment Wayne Rooney to give manager Kevin Ratcliffe, a Goodison Park legend, a momentous victory over the club he supported as a boy.

It could have been even worse for the visitors, Wright had kept them in the game with saves from both Jemson and Rodgers before the deadlock was finally broken.

Everton were far from at their best and could have few complaints about the final scoreline, although they left Shropshire knowing they really should have made the best of a bad job by hanging on to the lifeline handed them by Alexandersson's strike to take the Shrews back to Merseyside.

The draw which pitched these two sides into battle was the stuff of FA Cup dreams, the lowly underdogs on their own rain-soaked pitch meeting one of the Premiership's form sides.

Town boss and Everton legend Ratcliffe pitted his wits against a side managed by David Moyes - who once plied his trade as a player at Gay Meadow.

The Merseysiders, despite a run of four successive Premiership draws, arrived in Shropshire still flying high, while their opponents ran out having suffered mixed fortunes in recent weeks, losing 6-0 at Boston and 5-1 at Rushden and Diamonds either side of a 4-1 home win over Bury.

But an untutored onlooker might have had difficulty identifying the David and the Goliath as the Shrews put their league form behind them and went for the jugular.

Had it not been for a superb 12th-minute save by Wright, who somehow managed to change direction to get his hand to Jemson's instinctive header, they would have given Moyes even more to think about.

And but for a brief flurry of activity at the other end during which Tomasz Radzinski saw one shot blocked by goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin and another hacked away by defender Peter Wilding, the Everton boss had much to discuss as he welcomed his charges back into the dressing room at the break.

Wright kept the visiors on level terms once again with 33 minutes gone when he turned livewire Rodgers' shot against the upright.

But there was nothing he could do to prevent Jemson's curling free-kick from nestling in the top corner five minutes later after Thomas Gravesen halted Rodgers' progress illegally 20 yards out.

It was all a bitter disappointment for the travelling supporters, who saw little of the blistering form which has propelled 17-year-old Rooney into the limelight in recent weeks.

Moyes made his move at the break when he sent on Alexandersson in place of Gravesen, and the change was to prove vital - although not before the visitors survived a major scare.

Jemson's pass allowed Rodgers to cut in from the left and drive at full-back Peter Clarke, but when he went down under the full-back's rash challenge, referee Steve Dunn waved play-on.

Everton had to wait until the hour-mark for their equaliser, and it came courtesy of an error from the unfortunate Dunbavin, whose mishit clearance allowed the visitors to mount an attack.

Scot Gemmill powered his way to the edge of the box before sliding a pass inside full-back Alex Smith for Alexandersson to fire low past the keeper's right hand to level.

That was the signal for the Premiership outfit to step on the gas, and although Jamie Tolley forced a 73rd-minute save from Wright, it was they who looked the more likely winners.

Alexandersson shot across goal from a tight angle 15 minutes from time and substitute Li Tie miskicked with his first touch after Radzinski had left him with the goal a his mercy two minutes later.

Rooney tried to catch Dunbavin off his line with a cheeky 84th-minute chip, but his effort comfortably cleared the crossbar.

But there worse to follow for the Premiership outfit when Jemson rose to meet an 89th-minute free-kick from former Forest team-mate Ian Woan and glance a header past Wright to clinch a remarkable victory.

Teams:

Shrewsbury: Dunbavin, Moss, Smith, Wilding, Artell, Lowe (Aiston 85), Atkins, Jamie Tolley, Woan, Rodgers (Jagielka 81), Jemson (Drysdale 90).

Subs Not Used: Kendall, Redmile.

Booked: Lowe.

Goals: Jemson 38, 89.

Everton: Wright, Clarke, Stubbs, Weir, Unsworth (McLeod 90), Carsley, Gemmill (Tie Li 76), Gravesen (Alexandersson 45), Naysmith, Radzinski, Rooney.

Subs Not Used: Pembridge, Baardsen.

Booked: Gravesen, Stubbs, Rooney.

Goals: Alexandersson 60.

Att: 7,800

Ref: S Dunn (Avon).