FA Cup/ Everton 1 Blackburn 4: Blackburn Rovers have spluttered too readily this season but here they gave ample proof of their pedigree. Searing victory on Merseyside had the travelling supporters bellowing that theirs is destination Wembley; with Mark Hughes, a four-times winner, at the helm there is credence fuelling the optimism.

Few would have envisaged this saunter. Even with three successive league wins having hauled Rovers from the Premiership's dregs, Everton represented awkward opponents with Hughes' willingness to rest key personnel hardly suggesting this would degenerate into the hosts' worst home defeat in this competition to top-flight opponents since 1958. That was the grim reality that chased the locals from this arena at the final whistle, an ashen-faced David Moyes sharing their shock.

A quintet of regular starters had been absent for the visitors from the start. One of them, Benni McCarthy, sprang from the bench with the game as good as won to collect David Bentley's pass in stoppage time, spin along the edge of the area and away from Lee Carsley and Joleon Lescott before hammering his 13th goal of the season into the top corner. It was an emphatic finish to befit a stunning performance. "It was a fantastic win for us," said Hughes. "It couldn't have got any better."

It was his side's ruthlessness that must most have pleased the Rovers manager. The manner in which they scythed through the ranks of blue before the interval took the breath away.

The pace and guile of Morten Gamst Pedersen and David Bentley on the flanks were complemented by a rugged core through central midfield and defence, with the youthful strikers duly running amok.

Everton were beaten well before the break. Hughes had had his side practising with this competition's Umbro ball all week, with its dip and swerve offering opportunities. "We felt the ball was unpredictable in its flight," he explained.

Bentley forced Tim Howard to palm away unconvincingly in the opening exchanges. Seconds later Andre Ooijer robbed Andy van der Meyde and fed Pedersen, whose shot from 20 yards bounced horribly in the mud of the six-yard box with Howard able only to paw the ball up. It might have spun into the net with the goalkeeper floored but Matt Derbyshire pounced regardless to poke his side ahead with his second goal in two matches as a senior Rover.

"He's made his mark in each of the games he's played for us," said Hughes, who was just as impressed with his other striker, Paul Gallagher. "Gally's one of the most gifted players we have at this club."

The Scotland international gained reward seven minutes before the interval, collecting Bentley's diagonal pass and turning inside the hapless Joseph Yobo before drilling under Howard.

Between times the goalkeeper was arguably culpable when Pedersen's free-kick flew in from distance."It's unlike Tim," said Moyes. "He should have saved the first and I feel as if we engineered our own downfall out there. The first was spilled, the second a free-kick and the third a poor defensive goal. It was a strange day."

It was also a miserable one. This is only the fourth time that both Liverpool and Everton have been jettisoned from this competition in the third round since the second World War, and the first occasion since 1998, with Moyes' side rarely threatening to recover their deficit.

Mikel Arteta, Victor Anichebe and Carsley proved profligate either side of the interval with Brad Friedel easily touching over a lob from the frenetic Andy Johnson. The England striker is too jittery for comfort at present, his body language betraying a desperation and his confidence battered after only one Premiership goal since the end of September.

He did at least convert Everton's consolation here when Aaron Mokoena was penalised for tripping Arteta, Johnson sliding in the penalty to register his second goal in 16 matches, but there was to be no late charge. Blackburn, even below strength, refused to wilt.

For Everton, miserably, only the Premiership remains.

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