Football FA Cup: Barmby's late strike rescues Everton

Everton 1 Exeter City 0

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM has it that the gap between the Premiership and the rest is growing but there was little evidence to support the theory last night. Seventy-five places separate these clubs in the league and it was not until the 175th minute of this FA Cup third-round replay that Everton broke through Third Division Exeter for the right to meet Birmingham City.

Quite how this had come about only Everton can answer because they missed any number of chances in a tie that became more fraught for the home crowd by the second. With extra-time beckoning, with frustration rising, and with profligacy reaching world-class proportions, however, Nick Barmby pounced.

Yet it was to a soundtrack of isolated booing that Everton left the pitch. The plaudits, rightly, went to Exeter, whose defending was as good as their opponents' finishing was poor. Even so, the 16,809 brave souls who had endured near- freezing temperatures deserved better.

"We were left wondering whether we were going to rue our missed opportunities," Walter Smith, the Everton manager, said. "We're very relieved to go through."

So, probably are the Football Association, who need another crowd-pulling Premiership team going out of the competition like a another world club championship. Last night, a few days before Christmas and with five games at Goodison due in quick succession, the magic of the Cup proved highly resistable - even with reduced prices.

But Cup ties will always have a fascination as long as the underdogs have a chance and Exeter had made this replay necessary by an outstanding display of obduracy at St James' Park. Everton had pounded away but the Third Division side had not buckled.

The pattern had not changed last night and after two minutes Francis Jeffers was clear through only to be denied by Stuart Naylor's charge and this chance was followed by others for Kevin Campbell and David Weir.

Surely this pressure had to tell and after 22 minutes it appeared it would when Mark Pembridge's precisely weighted long pass from the left fell into Campbell's path. He had one chance to touch the ball before Naylor arrived. His touch beat the goalkeeper but looped wide.

This let-off, and the subsequent time spent treating the injured striker, temporarily changed the mood and twice midway through the first half Exeter might gone ahead. A ricochet gave Geoff Breslan space which he squandered by shooting too close to Paul Gerrard and two minutes later a shot on the turn from centre-back Rob Dewhurst bounced narrowly wide.

Those proved to be Exeter's only chances which was in contrast to Jeffers who might have had six goals last night and certainly should have had a hat-trick. It was a matter of opinion which was the worst miss, but the 63rd-minute shot that was mis-hit so badly from 12 yards it became a cross to the nearby Campbell was a personal choice.

He was not alone, and the crowd was turning distinctly unhappy when John Collins' shot six minutes from time defelected to Barmby. From six yards even an Everton player could not miss and he slipped the ball into the corner.

"The players are disappointed," Peter Fox, the Exeter manager, said, "but we realise it was the right result."

Everton (4-4-2): Gerrard; Cleland, Dunne, Weir, Unsworth; Barmby, Hutchison, Collins, Pembridge; Jeffers, Campbell. Substitutes not used: Ball, Watson, Cadamarteri, Moore, Simonsen (gk).

Exeter City (4-5-1): Naylor; Richardson, Gittens, Dewhurst, Power; Breslan (McConnell, 54), Rees, Curran, Buckle, Robinson (Fack, 86); Alexander. Substitutes not used: Smith, McConnell, Boylan, Matthews (gk).

Referee: S Bennett (Orpington).

FA Cup results, page 21