Everton hold off Stoke

Everton's Joe-Max Moore is outnumbered at Stoke

Stoke City 0-1 Everton

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Everton eased the pressure on manager Walter Smith with a hard-fought FA Cup win at Stoke City.

Smith - re-assured about his immediate future at Everton following five straight defeats - desperately needed to win this testing third round tie at The Britannia Stadium.

And Everton were in resolute mood as they inflicted only the second defeat in 22 games on the in-form Second Division leaders.

The most thing at Everton this week was not what happened off the pitch, but what happened on it and we are delighted to have won

Everton manager Walter Smith

Alan Stubbs struck Everton's winner with a 20-yard free-kick early in the second half - and it was a well-deserved win for Smith's side as they attempt to get their season back on course.

Everton's last FA Cup third round win at Stoke City was the signal for a run to victory at Wembley in 1984.

And while it is too early to harbour such hopes this season, Everton will regard the win as a welcome relief from their Premiership struggles.

Blomqvist beats Stoke's Clarke

Stoke City inevitably started by pushing the struggling Merseysiders back on the defensive.

But the Everton rearguard, superbly marshalled by captain David Weir, gave goalkeeper Steve Simonsen good protection.

And Everton had the better goalscoring opportunities in a tight first half in which chances were at a premium.

Duncan Ferguson was inches away from breaking the deadlock after 24 minutes, when he controlled Gary Naysmith's cross at the second attempt and struck the foot of the post.

Jesper Blomqvist was also narrowly off target as Everton exerted domination over a Stoke side who enjoyed plenty of possession but could not find a final pass of any consequence.

My team did well and I was proud of them - and I think we have shown we are capable of promotion

Stoke manager Gudjon Thordarson

Stoke started the second half brightly, and it needed a timely tackle from David Unsworth to rescue team-mate Abel Xavier after the Portuguese defender presented the ball to Jurgen Vandeurzen in the penalty area.

But Everton finally turned their threat into something tangible after 51 minutes when Stubbs put them ahead.

Stoke were unhappy when referee Eddie Wolstenholme awarded a free-kick as Ferguson tumbled under challenge from Siarhei Shtaniuk and Wayne Thomas.

And their frustration increased when Stubbs rifled the free kick past Neil Cutler from 20 yards.

It was the goal Everton's supremacy merited, and Paul Gascoigne almost added a second as he broke into the penalty area only to be denied by Neil Cutler.

Swedish winger Blomqvist wasted an opportunity to steady Everton's nerves in injury time when he broke through, only to chip wide of the target.

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Stoke: Cutler, Rowson, Thomas, Shtaniuk, Clarke, Gudjonsson, O'Connor, Henry (Dadason 70), Vandeurzen, Goodfellow (Hoekstra 64), Iwelumo (Cooke 70).

Subs Not Used: Owen, Ingham.

Everton: Simonsen, Xavier, Stubbs, Unsworth, Weir, Gemmill, Naysmith, Gascoigne, Blomqvist, Ferguson, Moore.

Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Tal, Cleland, Hibbert, Chadwick.

Booked: Gemmill.

Attendance: 28,218.

Referee: E Wolstenholme (Blackburn).