RECORD signing Jon McCarthy tore the FA Cup from Everton's grasp as Port Vale deservedly ousted the holders in the upset of the fourth round last night. The 26-year-old winger, a £450,000 summer move from York, struck 21 minutes from time to earn a last 16 trip to. Leeds.
McCarthy's partner on the wing Steve Guppy streaked down the left, Martin Foyle dummied, and McCarthy came steaming in to score off the inside of the post.
It was no fluke and Joe Royle's men could have no complaints after the first division side's attacking intent unhinged them all night. Ian Bogie had shot John Rudge's side ahead in the 17th minute only for Graham Stuart to level before the break.
But, after Stuart and Matt Jackson were denied at the start of the second half, Port Vale took complete control with only the magnificence of Neville Southall and poor finishing leaving the result in doubt.
The tone for a thrilling night was set inside 14 seconds, as Craig Short's weak header allowed Foyle a sight of goal 20 yards out, Southall going down at his left-hand post but losing the ball, which squirmed a fraction wide.
Port Vale, with Guppy and McCarthy revelling on the flanks, were buoyant and Royle was forced to make a change. He took off David Unsworth Andy Hinchcliffe reverting to a defensive role and sent on last season's Wembley match-winner Paul Rideout.
After Hinchcliffe escaped with a dreadfully short backpass Tony Naylor not taking ad vantage the switch bore fruit in the 32nd minute.
Rideout touched on Southall's clearance and Stuart, with 40 yards of open ground in front of him, took full advantage, surging to the edge of the box before shooting, the deflection off, Neill Aspin only ensuring the strike's 13th of the season.
Everton were close to a control at the start of the second period. Paul Musselwhife fumed Stuart's rising drive over the bar after Amokachi left Kanchelskis' cross.
And from the resulting Hinchcliffe corner Matt Jackson's header was cleared off the line by Guppy. But Everton's defence was still unsure. Guppy was wide after Foyle and Andy Porter combined to slice them open in the 53rd minute, and when he caught McCarthy's cross flush on the volley soon after Southall made a point-blank stop.
That was the warm-up act for the save that followed, South all flinging himself to his right to keep out another superb strike by Bogie. And when Foyle squandered good work from Naylor by blazing over the bar it looked as if Port Vale would rue the misses.
But McCarthy had other ideas, slamming home his third of the season and only more brilliance by Southall, somehow keeping out Naylor's 10-yard strike, and a desperate Hinchcliffe clearance to deny Naylor again, allowed Everton to retain any hope.
They never really looked like drawing level again.
