Ace Aimson’s a late great
MILLWALL pulled off a magnificent cup shock as Murray Wallace hit the winner three minutes into added time to cast further doubt over boss Marco Silva’s ability to revive Everton.
But the Toffees left the pitch in fury, claiming Jake Cooper had pushed the ball into their net to make it 2-2 in the 74th minute.
Their players surrounded referee Mike Oliver in uncontrolled anger.
TV shots not only showed a blatant handball – there were also at least two Millwall players offside.
VAR would have sorted it but it is only allowed at Premier League grounds and Silva fumed: “Why, why, why. It doesn’t not make sense. It should be everywhere.
“We had seven, eight players in the box and they all saw the ball handled. They we saw it again on the big screen. I respect Mr Oliver but he made a mistake.’’
What made it worse was when Millwall’s own screen showed the goal it proved Cooper handled and there was also two players off-side.
Millwall boss Neil Harris desperately tried to close down the screen, jumping up and down on the line. He said: “I saw it on screen and I couldn’t tell it was handball.’’
Millwall, however, fully deserved this victory, and they made Everton look very ordinary. The Premier League side twice led, but the Lions roared back in style.
Millwall started strongly and Lucas Digne’s remarkable goal-line headed clearance rescued Everton as he kept out Shaun Hutchinson’s header after Shane Fergson swung over a wicked 13th-minute free-kick.
Every time Everton created openings they had hungry Lions snapping at their heels. It didn’t help that Everton continued to play with a lone striker, Dominic Calvert-Lewin again the outlet. That was food and drink to Millwall.
Little was seen of Richarlison until he put Everton ahead with a 25-yard shot two minutes from half-time that squeezed under keeper Jordan Archer’s body.
But three minutes into first-half added time Millwall were level.
Jake Cooper flicked on and Lee Gregory looped a header over England No1 Jordan Pickford.
Substitute Cenk Tusun put Everton ahead again, but then Cooper’s controversial goal turned the game on it’s head – and Wallace applied the finishing touch that saw off their shellshocked rivals.
‘‘I just felt we had another magic moment in us and I didn’t want a replay because I knew it would be tough at Goodison,’’ said Harris.
‘‘The character my players showed today was special and I’m so proud of them. All I want now is a home draw because here at The Den we can match anyone.” BURY levelled against leaders LINCOLN three times to earn a 3-3 draw – with Will Aimson’s bullet header with four minutes to go sending the Gigg Lane crowd wild.
Jay O’Shea and Nicky Adams cancelled out Danny Rowe’s strike and a Chris Stokes own goal before John Akinde had made it 3-2.
MANSFIELD continued their push for automatic promotion with a 3-0 victory over 10-man TRANMERE. Jorge Grant (below) scored twice and Tyler Walker added the other. Tranmere’s afternoon was compounded by Ollie Banks’ dismissal in the 37th minute for two bookable offences.
Ten-man MACCLESFIELD saw a two-goal lead slip as fellow strugglers CHELTENHAM produced a terrific comeback to win 3-2 at the JonnyRocks Stadium. Nathan Cameron was shown a straight red for a foul before Luke Varney, Jacob Maddox and Charlie Raglan swung the match in Cheltenham’s favour.
MORECAMBE managed to salvage a 1-1 draw at NORTHAMPTON who took the lead through Timi Elsnik. Richie Bennett earned a point for Morecambe.
FOREST GREEN consolidated their play-off ambitions with a 2-0 win at STEVENAGE. Liam Shephard and Christian Doidge scored the goals.