Ian Rush came back to haunt Everton and dumped them out of the FA Cup to add
to Goodison Park's sorry season.
Rush regularly upset the blue half of Merseyside with a catalogue of goals
when he was in the red of Liverpool, scoring 25 in 36 derbies.
Since moving to Newcastle he had only managed one goal all season, and was
reckoned to be past his best and looking for a new direction in
player-management.
But he came back to Goodison for one more time and scrambled the goal that
gave Newcastle their first ever FA Cup victory over Everton.
Rush had already broken Denis Law's all-time FA Cup scoring record this
century of 41, and was out on his own on 42. A typical poaching effort on the
far post after 67 minutes put him on 43.
Knee surgery has kept the 36 year-old Welshman out for weeks, but his return
was just enough to spark Newcastle to victory.
It also made it a nightmare 24 hours for Merseyside, who had witnessed
Liverpool going out in the third round against Coventry the previous afternoon.
The critical goal came when Keith Gillespie slung over a long cross from the
right. John Barnes - another ex-Liverpool man back to do more damage to Everton
- managed to hook it back from beyond the far post, and there was Rush to force
it over the line under pressure from Claus Thomsen.
Rush's arrival as a second half substitute had given Newcastle more guile and
experience up front, where Faustino Asprilla had looked a disinterested figure.
Everton may consider they were unfortunate to go out after they had put enough
effort and commitment into the match.
The first half was mediocre, and that was being nice to two teams lacking so
many top stars that the quality on show was bound to be affected.
For the many who had witnessed the Sunday feast on TV from Stamford Bridge, it
was hard to imagine that these two sides were in the same division as Manchester
United and Chelsea.
Everton were missing 10 men injured and two suspended, while Everton had half
a dozen out.
The first half was only spiced up by antics of Faustino Asprilla, who seemed
to think that tackling wasn't allowed when he had the ball.
Mind, he did get a bit of rough treatment, and Tony Grant was booked after 17
minutes for a foul on the Colombian, who got away with a hefty push at the young
Everton midfielder, who was playing his first game since October following a
knee problem.
Asprilla clearly didn't fancy the wet and windy conditions, and spent much of
the time complaining to referee Martin Bodenham about his treatment.
The nearest Newcastle got to a goal in the half was when Keith Gillespie
produced a run and lay back, but Steve Watson managed only to scoop his shot
over the angle.
Nicky Barmby had reasonable appeals for a penalty turned down when he was
knocked over in the box by John Beresford after a Duncan Ferguson knock-down.
Alessandro Pistone managed to get himself booked for a foul on Barmby.
Everton's best early chance came when Michael Ball put Danny Cadamarteri clear,
and the young striker went round Shaka Hislop but was unable to produce a centre
good enough to worry an exposed Newcastle defence.
Asprilla came out for the second half without his gloves, but lasted only
until the 53rd minute when he limped away from the fray to be replaced by Rush.
Despite going behind, Everton kept trying to play a passing game, and when
Cadamarteri forced his way past Stuart Pearce, his pull-back was completely
missed by Duncan Ferguson as he arrived late on the near post.
Ferguson and Robert Lee were booked for a scuffle on the touchline, the
Newcastle skipper having clearly held the Scot down after being flattened by a
ferocious tackle.
It was all getting a bit tasty, and Darren Peacock was next to be booked for a
swipe at Ferguson, who was at last being given the service he needs to be a
danger in the air.
John Oster missed a glorious chance after Thomsen had set him up, by now
Everton were getting desperate after that crucial Rush goal.
Everton hurled men forward, Cadamarteri produced a stunning, brave run down
the left holding off Pearce, and when his cross came in Ferguson took it wide of
Hislop, but keeper made it back to smother the ball on the near post.
There was still time for bantamweights Oster and John Beresford to be booked
for an ugly scrap on the touchline.
Teams:
Everton: Myhre, Thomas, Dunne, Tiler, Ball, Cadamarteri, Grant,
Farrelly, Thomsen (Oster 72), Barmby, Ferguson.
Subs Not Used: Allen, Jevons, Hill, Gerrard.
Booked: Grant, Ferguson, Oster.
Newcastle: Hislop, Beresford, Peacock, Lee, Barnes (Hughes 84),
Asprilla (Rush 52), Pearce, Gillespie, Watson, Hamilton, Pistone.
Subs Not Used: Ketsbaia, Tomasson, Given.
Booked: Pistone, Lee, Peacock, Beresford.
Goals: Rush 67.
Att: 20,885
Ref: M J Bodenham (East Looe).
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