Everton travelled to Whaddon Road this evening hoping to avoid an FA Cup third-round upset at the hands of League Two outfit Cheltenham Town.
Despite a spirited performance from the hosts, a strong Toffees side comfortably triumphed to book their place in the next stage of the competition.
Nikica Jelavic, Leighton Baines, Leon Osman, Seamus Coleman and Marouane Fellaini were all on target in a 5-1 victory for Everton, who will face either Bolton Wanderers or Sunderland in round four.
Below, you can read how the action unfolded in Gloucestershire.
Good evening all! This is the last match of the FA Cup third round, discounting replays, and provides us with a chance of our biggest shock of the long weekend. Here is the team news...
David Moyes is not taking any chances here. The Everton boss has named arguably his strongest available side.
EVERTON XI: Howard; Coleman, Distin, Jagielka, Baines; Oviedo, Neville, Osman, Fellaini; Anichebe, Jelavic
Star names Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini are included in a Toffees lineup which shows three changes from the team that won at Newcastle United last time out.
Victor Anichebe, who scored the winning goal at St James' Park, is awarded a starting berth alongside Nikica Jelavic up front.
There is an alteration in the Everton backline as Seamus Coleman returns at right back, which means Phil Jagielka is restored to his usual central defensive position.
John Heitinga drops out of the squad completely, as does Steven Pienaar, who is replaced by Bryan Oviedo on the Everton left.
EVERTON SUBS: Mucha, Duffy, Gueye, Vellios, Barkley, Hitzlsperger, Naismith
That bench includes several names that had been tipped to start if Moyes opted to shuffle his pack, such as Ross Barkley, Magaye Gueye and Thomas Hitzlsperger.
However, the Scot has chosen not to rotate, which suggests that he sees the FA Cup as a genuine trophy possibility. For all the good work Moyes has done over his decade-long reign, he has yet to bring silverware to Goodison Park.
And now onto the hosts...
CHELTENHAM XI: Brown; Jombati, Bennett, Elliott, Jones; Pack, Carter, McGlashan, Penn, Mohamed; Goulding
There is a surprise in attack for the Robins, with Mark Yates preferring Jeff Goulding to top-scorer Shaun Harrad in the lone striker role.
Kaid Mohamed has chipped in with six strikes this season and will provide support to Goulding, who has netted three times.
A fitness boost for the Robins is the availability of Darren Carter. The midfielder graced the Premier League with Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion several years before moving to Whaddon Road. His experience will be of great benefit.
Chris Zebroski is not in the home squad after the Robins terminated his contract in midweek, but former Everton Academy goalkeeper Chris Robins is among the home substitutes.
Here is the Cheltenham bench in full then...
CHELTENHAM SUBS: Roberts, Lowe, Hooman, Deering, Duffy, Harrad Taylor
There is certainly a feeling of cautious optimism surrounding the League Two outfit this evening...
They count The Wanted member Nathan Sykes, among their famous fans. His message is to believe: "Just seen the line ups … @CTFCofficial believe! We can do this!! #underdog", he tweeted.
Peter Reid won the FA Cup with Everton in 1984, and is pleased his old side intend to take the competition seriously this year. He tweeted: "Strong Everton side, love it !!"
And the omens are good for Everton. In the history of the FA Cup, they have only been eliminated once by fourth-tier opposition - Shrewsbury in 2003.
Cheltenham reached this stage of the competition last year, but found themselves outclassed by top-flight opposition when Tottenham Hotspur defeated them at White Hart Lane.
Just under five minutes until kickoff now. It is butterfly in stomach time for the Cheltenham boys!
Just worth mentioning that Everton have three former winners in their ranks. Both Tim Howard and Phil Neville won the trophy in their Manchester United days, while Sylvain Distin was part of the Portsmouth side who were victorious in 2008.
Right then, prediction time! Sorry Cheltenham fans, but I think this Everton side will just be too strong. 3-0 to the Toffees!
Cheltenham get the action underway at Whaddon Road...
Cheltenham launch a long ball forward, which Distin initially makes a mess of. The Frenchman recovers just in time to thwart Goulding, who was waiting in the wings to capitalise on the error.
SHOT! Fellaini is not known for his long-range shooting, but he takes aim from 25 yards and shoots wide of the target.
CHANCE! Decent opportunity for the hosts as Mohamed shoves off Coleman on the Cheltenham left before squaring the ball to Carter, who scuffs his 12-yard effort wide.
Mohamed causes more problems for Coleman, this time cutting inside before finding Goulding. He tries to poke the ball around Distin, who stays strong and averts the danger.
SHOT! For the first time tonight, Jelavic wins an aerial duel and the knockdown comes to Oviedo. It falls on his weaker right foot though and the tame shot is easily held by Scott Brown.
GOAL! Cheltenham 0-1 Everton (Jelavic)
Cheltenham's bright start has quickly been defused by an opening goal for Everton. Oviedo combines with Fellaini on the left, with the latter bending a shot against the far post which Jelavic taps in on the rebound.
Slight injury worry for the hosts as Russell Penn goes down clutching his knee following a clash with Anichebe. There doesn't seem to be any lasting damage, though, and the industrious midfielder is back on his feet.
SHOT! A good Cheltenham passing move eventually results in the ball coming to Carter on the edge of the area. He struggles to get it out of his feet, though, and that shows in his gentle low strike, which is held by Howard.
SAVE! Leighton Baines lines up a free kick in a very similar position from which he scored a beauty against Newcastle last Wednesday. He bends a dipping shot which may have been creeping under the crossbar before Brown superbly palmed it behind.
PENALTY! Bennett climbs all over the back of Fellaini while contesting an aerial ball, and referee Kevin Friend awards a foul and a penalty!
GOAL! Cheltenham 0-2 Everton (Baines)
Brown guesses the right way but Baines rifles the spot kick into the bottom corner to double Everton's advantage and continue his flawless penalty record.
Well, this is all going to plan for David Moyes, isn't it? His side are two-nil up after just 23 minutes against their lower-league opponents, who now have a huge mountain to climb if they are to produce some FA Cup magic.
Sido Jombati makes a determined run on the right, before cutting back and delivering a cross into a good area. Carter attacks the ball, but cannot control his effort, which goes well over the crossbar.
Looking at the replays of Everton's penalty decision, it appears to be a soft one. Bennett was climbing on Fellaini, but the Belgian was stood still and making little effort to play the ball.
Osman goes on a jinking run down the left, before finding an overlapping Oviedo, whose cross towards Jelavic is intercepted well by Steve Elliott.
SHOT! Everton pass the ball along the 18-yard box before Fellaini shoots low left footed and yards wide of the post.
Goulding chases down a long ball from Marlon Pack and holds the play up well, before laying a pass back for the midfielder to try his luck from distance. His shot looks goalbound, but is blocked behind for a corner by Distin.
The pacey Jermaine McGlashan squeezes through Baines and Fellaini and the England full-back trips him on his way past to concede a free kick in a dangerous position.
CHANCE! After Billy Jones's set piece is cleared for a throw-in by Distin, Cheltenham haul the ball back into the box. Phil Neville's attempted clearance is flicked on to McGlashan, but he is unable to keep his effort, from an awkward body position, on target.
Fellaini turns smartly away from two Robins midfielders, but his attempted through pass to Oviedo is overhit and rolls out of play.
Coleman runs down the right and crosses early for Fellaini, who connects poorly with his header that drifts harmlessly wide.
McGlashan is lucky to escape unpunished for a late sliding tackle on the overlapping Baines, who is now over the resulting free kick on the left flank.
We are now entering first-half stoppage time, of which there will be two minutes...
HALF-TIME: Cheltenham 0-2 Everton
No sign of an upset here then as Everton enter the break at Whaddon Road with a two-goal advantage. Jelavic showed a true poacher's instinct to net the opening goal after Fellaini's effort had come back off the post. The second was a clinically-converted Baines penalty, but Cheltenham will argue the spot kick should not have been awarded in the first place.
Either way, David Moyes's side have one foot in the fourth round. Remember, the winners of this tie face a trip to either Bolton or Sunderland.
If Cheltenham fans are looking for some hope, they may be able to find some in the fact that Everton have not kept a clean sheet in 17 matches.
The first-half stats will tell you that Cheltenham have been well in this contest. In truth, they have moved the ball quite well and manufactured a few chances, but Everton have been on it tonight. A professional job thus far from the Toffees.
Here are those stats then: Cheltenham have had 44% of possession and seven shots, but just one has forced Tim Howard into a save.
The mathematicians among you will have figured out that means Everton have enjoyed 56% of the play. Three of their eight shots have been on target, but they are yet to have a corner.
Everton resume the action, with both sides unchanged for the second period...
SHOT! Anichebe spins away from Jones and cuts inside before screwing a left-footed shot across goal well wide.
GOAL! Cheltenham 0-3 Everton (Osman)
Anichebe's clever reverse pass finds Baines in an advanced position (again!) on the Everton left. He cuts the ball back to Osman, who feigns to shoot before dancing past two Cheltenham challenges and slotting the ball calmly home. This one is over as a contest.
GOAL! Cheltenham 1-3 Everton (Penn)
Mohamed, who has been quiet since a lively opening salvo, drifts in from the left and threads in a lovely ball for Penn, who shoots low into the net off Howard. Did I speak too soon?!
Goulding is primed to head McGlashan's inviting cross home from six yards but Distin rises superbly to nod the ball clear.
GOAL! Cheltenham 1-4 Everton (Coleman)
Everton restore their three-goal cushion courtesy of Seamus Coleman's first goal in almost two years. The Republic of Ireland international bursts into the area, controls Anichebe's lifted pass from the right before subtly lobbing an onrushing Brown. Now I can confidently say, this one is over.
Cheltenham's record signing McGlashan goes on a powerful run and lays the ball onto Marlon Pack, whose cross is blocked by Baines.
SUBSTITUTION: That will be Baines's last involvement in tonight's action. He is being given a well-deserved rest for the final half-hour of this contest as Magaye Gueye comes on in his place.
That change from Moyes is likely to mean some tactical tinkering on the Everton left. Gueye is a winger by trade so Bryan Oviedo will likely drop back to occupy the full-back position.
DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION: Mark Yates makes two changes, replacing Goulding with Duffy in attack. Reading loanee Jake Taylor is also on, with Darren Carter making way.
SUBSTITUTION: Moyes turns to his bench again to allow another of his goalscorers, Leon Osman, an early bath. Steven Naismith will have the last 22 minutes or so to impress.
SHOT! McGlashan's cleared cross falls to substitute Taylor, who chests the ball upwards before sending an ambitious volley into the stands.
Free kick to Cheltenham on the halfway line after Fellaini clatters into the back of Pack with a heavy challenge.
HEADER! Jombati lays the ball back to McGlashan, whose cross is met by a Bennett header at the far post. The Robins skipper connects well but can't direct his effort goalwards.
SHOT! Penn pinches the ball from Gueye and shoots left footed from 25 yards straight into the gloves of Howard.
DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION: A change from each manager as Moyes swaps Jelavic for Thomas Hitzlsperger. Home boss Yates brings on Sam Deering for McGlashan, who is greeted with warm applause for both sets of fans as he leaves the field.
Just under 10 minutes left here and there are now some very tired Cheltenham legs on show.
Taylor plays in Penn, whose attempted cutback to Duffy is diverted behind for a corner.
SHOT! Neville releases Coleman down the right. Naismith tries to meet his cross with a first-time half volley, which balloons straight up in the air and into the arms of Brown.
Leighton Baines is icing both of his feet on the Everton bench. He enjoyed another fine game tonight and has been the standout left-back in the Premier League so far this season. Toffees fans will be hoping that is just a precautionary measure.
Russell Penn is announced as the home Man of the Match over the Whaddon Road tannoy. A fair decision. He has covered a lot of ground, won a lot of tackles and capped off his excellent display with a goal.
GOAL! Cheltenham 1-5 Everton (Fellaini) Speaking of goals, Fellaini adds his name to the scoresheet by simply converting an Anichebe cross unmarked from eight yards.
We are now entering second-half injury time, of which there will be three minutes...
SHOT! Jombati is not closed down on the right edge of the Everton box and opts to shoot himself. He slices the strike high and wide, though.
FULL-TIME: Cheltenham 1-5 Everton
So, Everton progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a convincing win courtesy of five different goalscorers. By no means did Cheltenham disgrace themselves, though. They were just beaten by a clinical, professional, almost full-strength Toffees side this evening.
Either Sunderland or Bolton await the Merseyside outfit at the next stage, which is scheduled for the weekend of Jan 26.
It is back to reality for Cheltenham, who host York City in League Two action this weekend.
That concludes Sports Mole's coverage of this weekend's FA Cup fixtures. Thanks for joining me this evening. You can read a match report on tonight's Whaddon Road contest here.
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
