Everton saw off Oldham Athletic at the second attempt to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a 3-1 win at Goodison Park.
A Kevin Mirallas strike and a Leighton Baines penalty gave the Premier League outfit a two-goal lead at half time, and Leon Osman added a third early in the second period.
Oldham substitute Matt Smith headed a goal back shortly after his introduction, but the outcome was never in question.
Find out how the action unfolded with our minute-by-minute commentary below.
Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of the FA Cup fifth-round replay between Everton and Oldham Athletic. The two sides played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Boundary Park two weeks ago, so we should be in for a good one tonight.
There's just under 45 minutes to go until kickoff, but the starting XIs are in, so we will have those for you any second...
EVERTON: Howard, Neville, Baines, Gibson, Jagielka, Jelavic, Mirallas, Distin, Osman, Pienaar, Coleman
Subs: Mucha, Heitinga, Oviedo, Naismith, Hitzlsperger, Vellios, Duffy
Subs: Mucha, Heitinga, Oviedo, Naismith, Hitzlsperger, Vellios, Duffy
OLDHAM: Bouzanis, Brown, Grounds, M'Voto, Tarkowski, Croft, Furman, Iwelumo, Obita, Barnard, Baxter
Subs: Cisak, Wesolowski, Simpson, Smith, Millar, Winchester, Mellor
Subs: Cisak, Wesolowski, Simpson, Smith, Millar, Winchester, Mellor
The big talking point as far as Everton are concerned is the absence of Marouane Fellaini, presumably due to injury concerns. The talismanic midfielder has been one of the club's most consistent performers and biggest goal threats this season. They will miss his presence without a doubt.
There's a home coming for Oldham's Jose Baxter, who is a product of Everton's youth system. Matt Smith, whose last-minute header salvaged this replay, starts on the bench and will likely be used as an impact player.
This is a crucial game for the Premier Leaguers as it represents their only hope of silverware this season. I'm pretty sure David Moyes would give anything to be the one to end the Blues' trophy drought. He certainly deserves it based on what he has achieved here on a shoestring budget during his tenure.
Oldham aren't exactly setting League One alight, but they are no pushovers - just ask Everton's city rivals Liverpool. The Latics defeated Brendan Rodgers's side 3-2 in the previous round, and caused Everton more than a few problems when the teams last met.
Moyes is fully aware of the importance of this tie. Here are some of his pre-match comments courtesy of The Sun: "We are in a period of big games and these two weeks are huge for us. I think we will see which way our season is going after that. A Cup run keeps you on a roll, and our bad run has been more about the fact we have not finished teams off recently."
Oldham caretaker manager Tony Philliskirk has this to say: "We are under no illusions that it is going to be tough. Usually when you play Premier League clubs, you get one chance, and that is not me being defeatist. The draw here in the first game was fantastic from the club’s perspective financially. I am looking forward to the experience [of taking the team to Everton] and I am sure the players are."
The underdogs tag has certainly done Oldham no harm in the past. Liverpool were guilty of underestimating them, and were punished dearly for it. They will play like a team with nothing to lose tonight, so expect Everton to have a tough time out there.
Neverthless, the Blues are the clear favourites. Here are the bookmakers' odds: Everton 1/6, draw 11/2, Oldham 16/2.
Personally, I don't see a shock on the cards tonight. Everton should have progressed to the quarter-finals following the Boundary Park contest. Oldham were lucky to snatch that late equaliser, and I think the gulf in quality will be there for all to see with Everton having home advantage.
If you have just joined us, you get find tonight's team news here.
Darron Gibson has big shoes to fill in the absence of Fellaini. I'd say he has divided the opinion of Evertonians since joining the club from Manchester United, so tonight could be his chance to prove the doubters wrong.
Nikica Jelavic could really use a goal to boost his confidence tonight. He was on fire last season but hasn't been able to recapture that form during the current campaign. Leon Osman will be playing just behind him as Everton adopt a 4-4-2 formation.
Everton legend Neville Southall isn't too happy about ITV's coverage of the game. He's just posted this on Twitter: "Good old ITV no Everton person on panel they are desperate for upset divs."
One person who is on said panel is former Oldham boss Paul Dickov, whose reward for putting Liverpool out of the cup was the sack. Does anyone else think he looks a bit like Biff out of Back to the Future?
Tonight's clash isn't the only football on Merseyside tonight. Tranmere Rovers are in action at Prenton Park against Notts County. They can move to the top of League One with a victory.
The two teams come out of the dugout to Z Cars. It's a good crowd at Goodison Park tonight, with only a few empty seats around the stadium.
We are under way here at Goodison Park. These two teams are competing for the right to play Wigan Athletic at home in the quarter-finals of the competition.
Oldham are the first team to press forward. Croft chases the ball along the right flank, but it goes out for a goalkick. Jelavic wins possession at the other end and finds Baines. Mvoto clears the danger.
Grounds concedes a free kick, bringing down Mirallas just outside the Oldham area. Baines steps up to take it, but it isn't one of his better ones. The ball strikes the wall and bounces clear.
Oldham have brought plenty of travelling support and they are in fine voice. It's Everton who are controlling play at present. Osman has just tumbled in the area under Furman's challenge, which was perfectly legitimate.
Oldham attempt a counterattack but Jose Baxter gives the ball away. Everton attempt to break at the other end, only for Mirallas to stray a mile or so offside.
Baxter swings in a cross toward the Everton area and Jagielka heads clear. The League One side are giving as good as they have been getting so far, but the Blues are pressing forward now.
Everton attempt to pile on some pressure as Baines takes a throw in the final third. The ball finds Pienaar wide on the left, but the South African stays offside.
Pienaar concedes a free kick out wide. Baxter steps up and plays the ball long into the danger zone, but Tim Howard makes an easy catch.
Everton earn the first corner of the game. Baines's cross falls to Gibson, but the midfielder can't keep hold of the ball.
GOAL! Everton 1-0 Oldham (Mirallas)
Everton take the lead through Kevin Mirallas! Darron Gibson provided the assist, an inch-perfect cross from wide on the right, and the Belgian bundled home from close range.
OFF THE POST! Oldham go straight on the attack from the restart and Baxter curles ones towards goal from the edge of the area, only to see his effort crash back off the past. The visitors appeal for a penalty as the ball appears to strike Gibson on the arm as the Everton defence scramble it clear.
Well, this game has exploded into life in the last few minutes. Great vision from Gibson to pick out Mirallas and Baxter was unlucky at the other end. Oldham had a reasonably good case for a penalty against Gibson. It was one of those 50/50 situations.
Good attacking play from Everton as Pienaar plays a through ball to Jelavic and he feeds it to Mirallas. The Belgian attempts to play it across the face of goal but Mvoto heads clear.
Oldham venture forward through Obita, whose low pass into the area is hacked out for a throw in by Darron Gibson.
Mvoto has been excellent at the back for Oldham. He's just kept Jelavic out by using his strength to hold off the Croatian, who mis-kicked anyway. He seems to be doing a lot of that lately.
SHOT! It's a trademark Leighton Baines rocket from just outside the area! Bouzanis pushes it behind for an Everton corner. Good save from the Oldham shot-stopper!
The Oldham fans are still singing their hearts out despite being a goal down. All credit to them, not that they are out of this contest by any means.
PENALTY! Everton have been awarded a penalty for a handball against Connor Brown from Coleman's cross from out on the right. Baines steps up to take it...
GOAL! Everton 2-0 Oldham (Baines)
The England international makes no mistake from 12 yards. Bouzanis guessed right and got a touch to it, but Baines hit it with enough venom to find the bottom-right corner.
Oldham's response positively. Baxter swings in a cross towards a gaggle of orange shirts in the box, but Howard punches it clear. The big American did well under pressure there.
CHANCE! Mirallas and Coleman play a neat one-two along the right and the Irishman floats in a cross from Jelavic, but it's an inch or so too high for the Croat, who skies his header.
Oldham are still having a go at the other end. Yet another Baxter cross flies over the Everton area, failing to find target man Iwelumo. The former Everton youngster has been their biggest threat tonight, but he can't cause an upset up there on his own.
One minute of added time will be played.
HALF-TIME: Everton 2-0 Oldham
Everton lead thanks to a goal from Kevin Mirallas and a Leighton Baines penalty. The Blues have been the better side, but they have also been fortunate.
Jose Baxter hit the post for Oldham right after Everton took the lead, and the Latics had a strong(ish) claim for a penalty moments later.
A third Everton goal in the second period would surely kill the game off, but Oldham have an ace up their sleeve in the shape of Matt Smith (not the Doctor Who actor, though Oldham could use a Time Lord right now!)
Looking at the replay of the alleged Gibson handball, I do not believe that should have been a penalty. I've seen them given a lot, but there wasn't any intent. The ball was moving away from goal as Jagielka hacked clear, so why would there be?
Plenty of football going on elsewhere tonight. Everton's Merseyside neighbours Tranmere Rovers are leading Notts County 1-0 at Prenton Park, and on a much bigger stage, Barcelona are hosting Real Madrid for the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final. You can follow that one here.
We are back under way at Goodison Park. Oldham have 45 minutes to salvage something from this cup tie.
Matt Smith is up stretching his legs over on the touchline. His introduction can't be too far off given his heroics in this competition so far.
A subdued start to the second half. Baines and Pienaar exchange passes along the left flank, but Oldham clear the danger. The League One side attempt to mount an attack at the other end, but Obita is caught offside.
CHANCE! Good build-up play from Everton as a Mirallas cross lands between two blue shirts inside the Oldham box. Jagielka and Jelavic both go for it and get in each others way. The defender ends up shooting well over the bar.
Coleman as been exceptional on the right for Everton. He's just floated in another dangerous cross that Osman connected with, but didn't get enough on it to trouble Bouzanis.
It's a double substitution for Oldham as Smith and Simpson replace Obita and Iwelumo. Like-for-like changes there for the purposes of fresh legs.
The changes almost make an immediate impact as Smith plays in a dangerous low cross towards Baxter in the box. Neville makes a vital interception and concedes the corner. Oldham would surely have pulled a goal back had the Everton skipper not intervened there.
Oldham have a sharper edge to them now. Croft runs at the Everton defence and plays a lofted pass into the box, which Howard claims. The winger shoots wide of goal moments later.
GOAL! Everton 3-0 Oldham (Osman)
Steven Pienaar's looping cross is nodded in by Leon Osman. The midfielder didn't get much on it and the ball only found the back of the net because of Jelavic's imposing presence in front of goal.
GOAL! Everton 3-1 Oldham (Smith)
I saw that coming! Smith gets up to his old tricks and jumps highest in the box to head home a corner. Shocking defending from Everton, but Smith did well to get up so high. I think Oldham should have played him from the start.
Had Oldham drawn first blood this half I think we could have a very different game on our hands. They are still pressing, though. Simpson has just headed towards goal, failing to trouble Howard.
Everton remain on the back foot, but had the opportunity to get the ball forward through Pienaar, who squanders the chance by over-hitting a pass to concede a goalkick.
Naismith is warming up on the touchline. A like-for-like switch for Darron Gibson, perhaps?
Mirallas whips in a free kick from the left. Simpson does well to get his head to it under pressure from Osman. He can't prevent the corner, though.
A further Oldham sub: Connor Brown is replaced by James Wesolowski. Croft will move to right-back and the Latics will take on a more attacking formation.
This game has lost some of its momentum now. With little more than 10 minutes left I'd say Everton are almost home and dry. Their supporters seem to think so if the chants of "We're going to Wembley" are anything to go by. They obviously fancy their chances against Wigan.
There's a lot of orange shirts forward now. The ball falls to Baxter on the edge of the box and he has a pop. Osman charges it down and clears the danger.
CHANCE! Great vision from Mirallas to pick out Jelavic. The Croat finds Gibson at point-blank range and he blazes the ball over. That was a sitter and he knows it!
Howard and Simpson both go for the same ball and the Everton keeper comes out of it much worse. There was a clear foul in there by the Oldham man, who barged into Howard and earned the match's first yellow card for his efforts.
Naismith came on to replace Mirallas moments before the incident involving Howard and Simpson. A good performance from the Belgian. Impressive workrate and his name on the scoresheet. What else can you ask for?
Another Everton sub: Pienaar makes way for Hitzlsperger as Everton look to see this one out and set up that quarter-final clash with Wigan.
Three minutes of stoppage time to be played. Do Oldham have what it takes to claim two goals in three minutes? Erm... no!
In all fairness to Oldham, they are still plugging away. Tarkowski's long ball is headed towards goal by Smith, but he directs his effort straight at Howard.
FULL-TIME: Everton 3-1 Oldham
It's Everton who book their place in the quarter-finals of the competition thanks to goals from Mirallas, Baines and Osman. Matt Smith's reply at 3-0 ensured it wasn't completely comfortable, but the Blues were deserved winners overall.
You can read our full match report here. That's all from me here tonight, but stick around for analysis and reaction. Many thanks for joining Sports Mole for this FA Cup tie.
Written by
Mark Langshaw
Mark Langshaw
