Saturday 28th May
And so, to the biggest day of my career so far. Everton's first FA Cup final since 1995, when Paul Rideout's goal had secured a famous win over Manchester United. Today's match was, on paper, even tougher, if that were possible. Despite Chelsea's less than spectacular league form, they had easily the most impressive looking squad in the Premiership. An already impressive lineup having been augmented further with the big money purchases of Steven Gerrard and Ronaldinho before the start of the season, and Brazilian sensation Adriano in the January transfer window.
However, my hopes were improved as the news filtered through to our dressing room that Steven Gerrard had picked up a knock in the warm up, and would be unable to play. While this was good news, his replacement, Claude Makelele wasn't exactly a slouch. We meanwhile, would be without one of our key performers this season, James McFadden - but I had confidence that Kevin Kilbane could fill in effectively.
As I stood in the tunnel with my players waiting to emerge onto the Millenium Stadium pitch, shivers ran up and down my spine. I knew that this was a true chance to write my name in Everton history for ever, and moreover, to give myself a very good chance at being awarded the permanent position of manager. Here goes nothing...
FA Cup Final Everton -vs- Chelsea
Starting Lineups:
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Everton ChelseaGK : Martyn GK: Cech DR : Hibbert DR: FerreiraDC : Stubbs (c) DC: Terry (c)DC : Yobo DC: RadoiDL : Pistone DL: BridgeDMC: Parker MR: RobbenMR : Deisler MC: LampardMC : Cahill MC: MakeleleMC : Arteta ML: DuffML : Kilbane SC: DrogbaSC : Beattie SC: Adriano</pre>
Referee: Rob Styles
Attendance: 72500
The first few minutes of the game passed without any major incident, both midfields trying to get a grip on the game, and a few tough challenges flying back and forth, with Chelsea having marginally the better of it. The first attempt of goal arrived in the 7th minute.
7mins: Paulo Ferreira beat Mikel Arteta in getting his head to a Nigel Martyn goalkick, and nodded the ball forwards to Arjen Robben on the Chelsea right. Robben used his dribbling ability to ghost past Alessandro Pistone, and slip the ball to Didier Drogba on the right hand corner of the Everton box. Drogba turned and hit a vicious, dipping shot on goal, but Martyn was equal to it, saving and holding the ball.
15mins: Mirel Radoi nodded the ball back to Peter Cech, and the Chelsea keeper thumped it up to halfway, where it was met by the head of Adriano, rising above Joseph Yobo. The header fell at the feet of Frank Lampard, who ran forwards about 15yards, before chipping the ball on to Duff on the edge of the box. The Irishman switched play over to Robben on the right, who hit a powerful shot. However, the effort was always rising, and flew harmlessly over the Everton bar.
19mins: The best chance of the game so far, again falling to Chelsea. A Ferreira throw in picked up wide right by Frank Lampard, who played a beautiful raking ball to Duff out on the opposite wing. Duff controlled deftly, and crossed well. The ball was met by the head of Drogba, who planted it back across goal, aiming for inside the far post. However, he was a little off, and the ball flew just wide.
28mins: Wayne Bridge took a throw in for Chelsea on the left hand side, about level with the edge of the Everton penalty area. Joseph Yobo rose to head away, but only as far as Damien Duff, who immediately put the ball back into the mixer. This time it was met by Alan Stubbs, but his clearing header only reached the edge of the box, where it was met by
Paulo Ferreira. The Portuguese full-back took one touch to control, before unleashing an unstoppable drive, which flew past Nigel Martyn, and into the top corner.
Everton 0 - 1 Chelsea 31mins: Having posed little threat beforehand, the Chelsea goal seemed to act as something of a catalyst, stirring Everton into action. Sebastian Deisler picked the ball up in midfield, cutting a pass inside to playmaker Mikel Arteta. The young Spaniard wriggled past the challenge of Lampard, and played a beautifully weighted through ball to James Beattie. Under pressure from Radoi, Beattie shot powerfully at goal, but Cech was equal to it, diving to his right to parry the ball away. Unfortunately for Everton, the rebound fell to Ferreira, who hoofed it into touch.
37mins: With Everton coming into the game more and more, Didier Drogba was disposessed by Alan Stubbs, and the veteran centre back played an excellent long ball to James Beattie. The England man rose, and cushioned his header back to Arteta, who with his first touch swung the ball out wide right to Deisler. The German winger took the ball on the half volley, and smashed a curling, ambitious shot at goal. Peter Cech was taken completely by surprise, but luckily for him, it whistles just over the crossbar.
40mins: After something of a scramble on the edge of the Everton box (following a Chelsea corner), the ball fell to Deisler, who flicked it out to the left hand side, finding Kilbane. The Irish winger knocked the ball forwards to Arteta, who had moved quickly to support the counter attack. With vision typical of his season at Everton, Arteta turned and played an absolutely exsquisite ball through to
Tim Cahill, who had broken clear of the Chelsea defence, perfectly beating the offside trap. Cahill advanced on Cech, and with confidence and composure belying his relative lack of top level experience, finished powerfully and precisely into the bottom left corner.
Everton 1 - 1 Chelsea 44mins: After a heavy challenge from Claude Makelele, Kevin Kilbane went down clutching his right shin. After being attended to by physio Mick Rathbone, it was determined that he could not play on, and he was replaced by Leon Osman.
45mins: Referee Rob Styles blows the whistle for half time.
46mins: Both teams emerged from half time unchanged, but it was Chelsea who started stronger, trying to take back the initiative, which Everton had been gaining for the last 15mins of the opening period. Ferreira took a throw in just inside the Everton half, finding Lampard, who swept the ball out to Robben on the left wing. The Dutch winger controlled, and with his second shot fired in a powerful shot. Thankfully for Everton though, it was aimed straight at Nigel Martyn, and the Cornishman held comfortably.
56mins: Wayne Bridge moved down the left with the ball, and fed it forwards to Arjen Robben. Tony Hibbert did well to stay with him, and got an outstretched boot to the Dutchman's cross. The deflection, however, only landed at the feet of Adriano inside the box, but his vicious drive flew inches over Nigel Martyn's crossbar.
61mins: Ronaldinho and Gudjohnsen replace Duff and Drogba as Chelsea go looking for the win.
66mins: A mazy run from Robben took him past 3 Everton players, and into the box. He aimed his shot for the top corner, but Martyn was just able to get his fingertips to the ball and tip it round the post.
71mins: A Ronaldinho corner from the left was headed to safety by Tim Cahill, and met wide on the right, near halfway by James Beattie. Beattie took the ball past Wayne Bridge, and swung it into the middle to
Scott Parker, about 35 yards out. Parker took the ball in his stride, wrongfooting Paulo Ferreira in the process, and taking the ball past him, and into the box. He waited for Cech to start to move towards him, before picking his spot and finishing coolly, putting Everton into the lead.
Everton 2 - 1 Chelsea 77mins: After enduring several minutes of Chelsea pressure, Everton break away, and Leon Osman is tripped wide on the left by Arjen Robben. Stepping up to take the freekick, Sebastian Deisler plays a wickedly inswinging ball into the box where defender
Joseph Yobo, up from the back rises well, and nods the ball past an outrushing Peter Cech, and into the unguarded Chelsea net for his first goal of the season, and possibly his last for Everton, sending the Everton fans inside the Millenium Stadium into raptures.
Everton 3 - 1 Chelsea 84mins: Adriano makes a powerful, surging run from deep, beating two Everton players then finding Ronaldinho out on the right hand side. The Brazilian moves forwards, looking up and playing a beautiful ball in to
Eidur Gudjohnsen, who deftly beat Nigel Martyn at his near post, reducing Everton's lead to a solitary goal.
Everton 3 - 2 Chelsea 86mins: The furious finale to this Cup Final continued, with Chelsea pressing hard for an equaliser, and Everton refusing to rest on their laurels, looking to hurt them on the break at every opportunity. And so it was that, after a foul by substitute William Gallas on the Chelsea right, Deisler stepped up to take the freekick. With everyone expecting a ball into the box, the German surprised them all by knocking a short ball down the wing to Leon Osman. The young Everton midfielder then played a quick one two with Deisler, before crossing deep into the box, where
Tim Cahill, making one of his late runs into the box, rose above Wayne Bridge, and planted his header past Peter Cech, and into the bottom corner, restoring the underdogs' two goal cushion with his own second of the match.
Everton 4 - 2 Chelsea 90mins: Peter Cech's thumped clearance is met by a firm header from substitute Luccin in midfield. Cahill cushions the ball well, turning and continuing his vintage performance by slipping an excellent ball through to
James Beattie in the Chelsea box. Beattie hits the ball first time on the turn, planting a powerful finish past the despairing Chelsea goalkeeper, completing Everton's fantastic victory.
92mins: Referee Rob Styles blows the final whistle, drawing to a close one of the best FA Cup Finals of recent years.
Everton have defeated Chelsea to win the 2005 FA Cup Final!!
The Everton players celebrate ecstatically on the pitch, as two sides of the ground erupt in frantic cheers. Manager Jamie Mellor celebrates with his Assistant Alan Irvine, before running out onto the pitch to rejoice with his players as they dance and cheer in the centre circle.
Final Score: Everton 5 - 2 Chelsea
After the presentation ceremony, Jamie Mellor had the following to say, "Well, I just can't believe it, this is just an incredible day. I knew we had what it took to get a result here, but we were all still very nervous beforehand which is understandabe - but what a performance! Every single player in the side absolutely did themselves proud today. Yobo was absolutely imperious, and even grabbed a goal in his last match for us. I'd like to take this opportunity to wish him all the best for his time in Madrid, and hope that maybe one day, we might see him back at Goodison."
"As for Tim Cahill, what can you say about him? He was absolutely magnificent here today, two goals from midfield, and a great all round showing. I expect there will be teams sniffing round him in the summer, but I can tell them now, he's going nowhere. Finally, I'd like to say thankyou to our fans - they've turned up in force today, and they've done us proud. The noise coming from our sides of the ground was incredible - it felt like a home game at times. This is obviously the first trophy I've won with Everton, and hopefully it will be the first of many."
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