EFC: Gerrard, Weir, Gough, Unsworth, Collins, S.Hughes (Ball 77), Xavier, Pembridge, Barmby (Dunne 85), Moore (Cadamarteri 66).

Subs Not Used: Myhre, Gemmill.
Booked:  Xavier (72) - for trying to remove Didier Domi's ear with his boot. 
M.Hughes (90) - persistent old age and generally being a nasty get. Happily he will now be suspended for reaching ten yellows.
Sent Off: None.

NUFC: Given, Barton, Hughes, Dabizas, Howey, Lee, Speed, Solano (Dyer 77), Gallacher (Domi 68), Shearer, Ferguson.

Subs Not Used: Harper, Ketsbaia, Goma.
Booked: Speed (21) - late tackle but surely no worse than Gough's on Solano? 
Ferguson (24) - a late tackle on Weir was the third incident within the space of a few minutes. Probably justified.
Howey (34) - a total mystery. Hughes looked to have fouled Howey but the decision went Everton's way again. Perhaps Steve said something...?
Sent off: None, thankfully - suspension would have meant missing the semi-final.

Referee:  It was meant to be Peter Jones, but for the fourth time this season he bailed out at the last minute. Wonder whether he will bother to turn up at Wembley on April 9th...? Unfortunately the late replacement turned out to be Graham Barber. A bigger homer you'll never see - he just listened to the crowd before making any decision. Hence, Speed and Big Dunc were booked early on and Howey's booking should have been a free-kick the other way. Heaven knows how Gough, Mark Hughes and Moore weren't booked in the first half. Fourth official was the Stockton Lardarse (Jeff Winter) who keeps following us around. Jeff was sporting a Beckham cut but its unlikely you'll see him on the front of tomorrow's tabloids, only the broadsheets could fit him on.

Goals:

79 mins. The ball was swept wide to Domi and after a scramble inside the box Aaron Hughes dispossessed David Weir. Hughes dug the ball from under his feet and prodded it past Gerrard from a few yards out. 1-0
87 mins. A throw in deep inside our half found Dyer who knocked it over an Everton player into space. Young Kieron's pace took him clear of the defence and he expertly played the ball over Weir's last-ditch challenge. As Gerrard came out Dyer simply lobbed it over him into the empty net. A cracker. 2-0. 

Waffle: After having avoided a trip to Goodison for the whole of 1999, after what seemed like a period in residence at the North end of Stanley Park in the previous few years, one of the worst away sections in Britain played host to an ebullient Tyneside travelling support.

Whether it's the late kickoff on a Sunday that results in the lubrication of Newcastle fans at away games, or the fact that they're merely topping up from the previous nights' excesses, many of the Bobby Robson fan club were there in both body and spirit(s). As well as pumping up the volume and eventually provoking a muted response from the miserable home support, at least one toon fan chose to display his posterior in the general direction of the silent blue masses in the Park Stand. Unfortunately, he also managed to draw the attention of the forces of law and order, and was soon picked out by a burly constable. After a brief exchange of views the by-now clothed lad was ejected without further displays of flesh, possibly after spotting the large sticks that many of the other bobbies were swinging and imagining whereabouts on his person the shiny metal end might be embedded....

Despite this early off-the field setback, the assembled multitudes compensated for their slight depletion with a tremendous half-time rendition of "black and white army" that sent several small children cowering into the overcoats of their elders and hopefully dislodged ornaments from TV sets tuned to SKY Sports in front rooms across the universe.

Eventually some positive onfield activity provided a focus for the support (that is, apart from wailing at the bent ref and his blind-eye treatment of the aging Welsh thug Mark Hughes.) Gallacher departed, having given his all to the cause again, and the unremarkable Solano gave way to the lightning strikes of Domi and Dyer. Within moments the vital breakthrough had been made and the mouldy old Upper Bullens stand provided the perfect view of first Aaron Hughes smacking the ball home and then Kieron Dyer dashing upfield and lobbing the 'keeper for the second. Both goals were celebrated with wild abandon by both players and crowd alike, but our raucous celebrations were still close to being drowned out by the thump of seats being separated from Evertonian hindquarters.

The final whistle saw big Dunc acknowledge the support received from both sets of fans throughout the afternoon, while the clenched fist and mile-wide grin of Gary Speed signified one very contented chap.

Not a classic game, but a second clean sheet, another example of inspired player replacement from the old fella, three welcome away points and further progress away from the lower reaches of the league. Oh aye, and more pressure on the monkeymen in red and white.

PS - Chants I thought I'd never hear part 6: "Speedie's Going to Wembley" - a retort to the home fans baiting of their former hero, and not a reference to the diminutive Scottish firebrand / arsehole David Speedie.

Biffa