Source: Team_Talk
Blues hold on for fifth-round spot
The last time Birmingham reached the later stages of this competition, Liverpool put seven past them in the quarter-final four years ago.[LNB]This time it was the other Merseyside club who were made to suffer. Christian Benitez and Barry Ferguson had Birmingham ahead at the break and, although a Leon Osman strike set up a grandstand finish, Blues held firm.[LNB]Everton, last season's beaten finalists, fielded the same side that defeated Manchester City last weekend, and the Merseysiders had new on-loan defender Philippe Senderos watching from the directors' box, having joined from Arsenal until the end of the season.[LNB]However, the biggest cheer of the pre-match build-up came when Mikel Arteta's name was announced as an Everton substitute. The Spanish midfielder has been out for a year with knee ligament damage.[LNB]But the cheers were soon coming from the Birmingham support as their side took the lead after seven minutes.[LNB]Birmingham strung together a determined passing move which ended with a cross from Keith Fahey, missed in the box by home defender Leighton Baines, and cleverly headed past Tim Howard by Christian Benitez.[LNB]Everton tried to fight back, but Birmingham - the surprise package of the top flight this term - are playing with such confidence and conviction that it was the hosts who looked more likely to crack again.[LNB]Everton had plenty of possession, but against the well-drilled Midlanders, chances were at a premium.[LNB]The Toffees were being stifled at source. The graft and running from Sebastian Larsson and Stephen Carr on the right did well to halt the danger that Steven Pienaar, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Baines present on Everton's left flank.[LNB]Everton were soon resorting to long-range attempts, which did not trouble Joe Hart. The best from range for the hosts came after 38 minutes when Pienaar - who had switched to the right - cut in to drive a 20-yarder over the bar.[LNB]And five minutes from the break Birmingham got a deserved second with a brilliantly constructed goal.[LNB]The ball was fed out to Larsson on the right, and when his cross reached the box a step-over from Barry Ferguson and a return pass from James McFadden saw Ferguson clear in the box to guide a curling shot wide of Howard.[LNB]Everton took off the ineffective Bilyaletdinov at the break, sending on Leon Osman to add some more running and tackling to midfield.[LNB]Birmingham should have made it three when Larsson's ball sent Benitez away. His first touch was outstanding, and left him racing towards Howard. But the shot was low and weak and the American was able to save at his feet.[LNB]Everton were beginning to be more effective up front, and Donovan got on the end of a Baines cross but could not achieve enough direction to trouble Hart.[LNB]The hosts were back in the game after 56 minutes when Osman curled a shot home from the edge of the box after Baines' cross was fed onto him by Pienaar.[LNB]The stage was now set for one of Everton's famed comeback assaults, having been out-played for much of the game.[LNB]Dann threw himself in the way of a Marouane Fellaini angled drive and Saha lifted a 12-yard effort over the angle. Saha shot wide from 12-yards and then had a decent appeal for a penalty turned down by referee Howard Webb after a challenge from Liam Ridgewell.[LNB]With 11 minutes left Arteta appeared on the touchline to rapturous applause and replaced Donovan. Could the little Basque star, missed for so long by Everton, save the day? In the end, no, but not without a tremendous late effort by Everton.[LNB]Arteta's cross provided a chance for Vaughan to hook over, before Birmingham sent on 18 year-old Jake Jervis for his debut in place of Benitez after 80 minutes.[LNB]Hart made a stunning save to keep out a Fellaini effort, which was arrowing towards the top corner from 12-yards, and in added time the Belgian hit the outside of a post.[LNB]But, after four minutes of injury time, Birmingham held on for victory.[LNB][LNB]
