RAFA’S NIGHT ON THE TOWN
Andros winner spares Benitez’s blushes
RAFA BENITEZ has happy memories of the FA Cup – and last night it brought him some much-needed respite.
Everton’s fans remain unconvinced that a former Liverpool manager is the right man to take them forward.
And a banner pinned at the front of the stand housing 4,000 travelling supporters made it clear that others have already made up their minds.
It read “Benitez get out of our club”.
Everton’s performance illustrated why Benitez is one of the favourites to be at the front of the Premier League’s sack race in 2022.
The Spaniard is the last manager to take the Cup back to Merseyside, guiding Liverpool to victory over West Ham 16 years ago.
But that kind of history tends to stick in the minds of Evertonians.
Grant Mccann’s Hull will feel desperately unlucky to have gone out after taking the tie to extra-time.
Substitute Andros Townsend won it for the visitors with a vicious strike from 30 yards, eight minutes into the first period, and it left Tigers keeper Nathan Baxter grasping thin air.
The Tigers went into the tie having failed to beat a top-flight team in the FA Cup while occupying a lower division for 48 years.
But the team lying 19th in the Championship, just four points off the drop zone, gave it their best shot last night.
Tyler Smith had headed the home side into a first-minute lead and their early onslaught could have brought more goals before Everton roused themselves.
And, even though the
visitors hit back to lead by the break, courtesy of Demarai Gray’s brilliant equaliser and Andre Gomes’ header, even then Mccann’s side refused to lie down.
When substitute Ryan Longman fired Hull level in the 70th-minute with a stunning strike, the MKM Stadium went crazy.
The Tigers deserved extra-time – and how Benitez suffered on the bench.
The Spaniard won his power struggle with director of football Marcel Brands last month and was this week handed almost £30million to sign young full-backs Nathan Patterson and Vitaliy Mykolenko.
Mykolenko endured a torrid debut. The Ukrainian’s first act was to foul Smith wide on the right.
And when George Honeyman sent his free-kick into the heart of Everton’s six-yard box, Smith leapt powerfully to head in.
It was only Asmir Begovic’s fingertips that prevented Tom Eaves from doubling Hull’s lead.
Begovic saved from Eaves again before his team-mates roused themselves.
It took Everton 20 minutes to produce some quality – and when they did, they were level.
Gray’s brilliant control wide on the left enabled him to cut inside before a swift exchange of passes with Anthony Gordon sent him clear. His low finish gave Tigers keeper Baxter no hope.
Gordon then hit the base of the post and Michael Keane forced Baxter into a smart save.
Everton went ahead just after the half-hour when Jonjoe Kenny clipped a cross from the right and Gomes stooped bravely among the boots to head home.
It needed a goalline clearance by Mykolenko to thwart Jacob Greaves and keep Everton’s lead intact.
And Begovic plunged to his right to save Greg Docherty’s effort from 20 yards.
But the visitors had control now, with both Gordon and Gray willing foils for the pass-and-move of Gomes.
Baxter fisted away Gordon’s shot, then Mykolenko blazed a decent chance over before Mccann tried to revive his team by making a triple substitution after the hour.
And they were level when all three of them combined for a stunning equaliser.
Tom Huddlestone’s blockbuster tackle was too much for Kenny and when George Moncur teased the ball into Ryan Longman, he beat Begovic with a glorious curling shot from 25 yards.
Gray almost restored the lead, but his shot was inches wide. And at the other end, Keane Lewis-potter shivered the post with a low blast.
But Townsend then struck in extra-time to claim the tie.