Stevens screamer breaks the cup blockade

Report By lan Hargreaves

GARY STEVENS' 20-yard thunderbolt saw Everton safely through to the fourth round of the FA Cup yesterday, but until it arrived, 10 minutes from time,it looked as though they would have to make the long trip to Devon on
Wednesday. Seldom can one team have dominated another so comprehensively and had so little to show for it, but for all their superior skill, Kendall's men just could not put the ball in the net. Some of their problems were due to the courageous defence of Marker, McCaffery and McNichol, who stood fast even when all around seemed lost, and the acrobatics of John Shaw, a Kojak among goalkeepers. Others were caused by a curious tactical formation, largely dictated by the absence of so many midfield regulars. Wilkinson was employed in Sheedy's normal position on the left, and Everton bombarded their opponents with a ceaseless string of high crosses that created plenty of pressure but relatively few clear-cut chances. Sharp forced two fine saves from Shaw, who also tipped a Stevens drive over the bar, and there were narrow misses from Sharp, Lineker, Heath and Richardson before Stevens eventually hit the target after a corner had been only partially cleared. For the rest it was a case of wave after wave of fairly predictable attacks breaking down again and again on a well-organised defence. Exeter created little themselves, but they will long look back to that vital moment, late in the first half, when they could easily have shocked the Goodison crowd by taking the lead. Left-back Viney thumped the ball down-field towards the edge of Everton's penalty area, Van den Hauwe misjudged the bounce, and suddenly Crawford was presented with a clear route to goal. For a moment time stood still, and we wondered if the unknown winger was about to make soccer history; if David was about to slay Goliath. Sadly for Exeter the hour did not inspire the man. Faced by a swiftly challenging Southall, arguably the best goalkeeper in the business, Crawford hesitated and was lost. His shot rebounded to safety and although further opportunities of a kind arrived later in the game, no Exeter player was again presented with such a comparatively straightforward task. Yet the men from the West Country of Drake, Raleigh and Girt Jan Ridd can be proud of their contribution to a hard and always interesting match. They gave all they had, and it was surely no disgrace to lose to opponents of such ability who have made it all the way to Wembley two seasons in succession. Finally a word of praise to referee Roger Milford, of Bristol, who not only handled the actual play well, but kept a sense of propor- tion. Having booked big Jim McNichol for a wild but never vicious challenge in the first half, be could eashy have dismissed the same player for another heavy tackle on Wilkinson in the second. Sensibly he stuck to the spirit of the law and merely lectured McNichol-just as he did soon after, when Sharp and Marker became involved in a brief flare-up by the touchline.

EVERTON (4-4-2): Southall; Stevens, Van den Hauwe, Ratcliffe, Pointon; Heath, Harper, Richardson, Wilkinson; Lineker, Sharp, Sub: Danskin.

EXETER (4-4-2): Shaw: Harrower (Pratt 83), McCaffery, Marker, Viney: Ling, McNichol, Jackson, Crawford; Gale, Keough.

GOAL: Stevens (80 mins) 1-4. CORNERS: Everton 15; Exeter 8

BOOKINGS: McNichol (Exeter) for a foul.

REFEREE: Mr Roger Milford (Bristol),