HE’S HOLGREAT Mason off mark with bullet header to shoot down Hornets

MASON HOLGATE chose the perfect moment to score his first goal for Everton, his powerful header warming a chilly evening.

The defender hauled a shocking contest – not until just before half time came the first, lame, shot on target – out of the deep freeze, and his side into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

When Richarlison confirmed victory deep into stoppage time, it was no more than a poor Watford side deserved.

Their apparent tactic of playing for penalties with a blanket defence was undone when the arrival of Theo Walcott roused the home side to a much-improved second half. It could not have been worse than the first, notable only for the commitment of Watford to sucking all life from the contest.

Walcott replaced Moise Kean, hooked at half time surely not in anger by boss Marco Silva, but in sympathy.

Everton fans had clamoured to see more of Kean, but here we saw why he has been eased in gently. He and Alex Iwobi cost a combined £60million in the summer, yet that is as far as their combination has gone so far. Here, they were on very different wavelengths.

The home side were so lethargic Watford were briefly encouraged to conjure up a chance when Andre Gray fired ferociously but at Jordan Pickford. The visitors should have been ahead by then, with Domingos Quina shooting wildly wide with time and space in front of goal.

The introduction of Walcott – how strange he has gone from Goodison villain to hero in the space of a week – injected belief, with Gomes’ shot blocked on the line by Adrian Mariappa.

Then Dominic Calvert-lewin nodded cleverly down to Iwobi, whose sliced shot drifted onto the bar. Lucas Digne’s deflected free-kick also crashed against the woodwork.

It was Walcott who made the difference, his fine cross met with a ferocious Holgate header.

Richarlison (left) confirmed the victory when he raced from the half way line as Watford finally pressed.