Everton saw off Huddersfield Town 5-1 in the Carling Cup at Goodison Park on Wednesday.
Marouane Fellaini, Jack Rodwell, Jermaine Beckford (from the penalty spot), Louis Saha and Leon Osman were all on target as the League One side were outclassed in the second round tie. A Johnny Heitinga own goal just before half-time gave Huddersfield some hope, but they later saw Lee Peltier sent off as that was extinguished.
A strong Everton side were ahead after just seven minutes. Debutant Toffees goalkeeper Jan Mucha made a fine early punched save from Jamie McCombe and within seconds his side were in front. France U21 international Magaye Gueye found a world of space on the left channel and his cross was headed home from six yards by the unmarked Fellaini.
Seven minutes later they had a second. Rodwell, like Fellaini brought in to the team that drew 1-1 with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League at the weekend, dragged the ball past Damien Johnson on the edge of the area and his low shot nestled in Alex Smithies’ bottom corner.
Peltier fired over from the edge of the Everton area as Lee Clark’s men tried to mount a comeback, while Gary Roberts also sent an effort too high and the Terriers then twice hit the woodwork.
First, Lee Croft struck the post when he latched on to a cross from former Toffee defender Gary Naysmith, then a Joey Gudjonsson cross bounced off of Roberts and came away off of Mucha’s bar.
But Huddersfield got a reward for that pressure as the rebound came to Theo Robinson whose cross was inadvertently put beyond Mucha by Everton defender Heitinga, David Moyes’ men left with just a 2-1 lead at the break.
Perhaps Huddersfield had given their best in that latter spell of the first half though as they found themselves two behind again in the 50th minute. Rodwell tormented Johnson again, the former Birmingham City man hauling the talented youngster down in the box and allowing summer signing Beckford to slam his first Everton goal past Ian Bennett – who had replaced the injured Smithies - from the spot.
Then, with 20 minutes left, Peltier, earlier booked for fouling Gueye, received a second yellow card when he pulled down Seamus Coleman. Heitinga was given the chance to atone for his own goal and score his first for Everton, but Bennett easily saved to his left.
It was 4-1 five minutes later though as sub Saha scored with his first touch after Osman and Beckford ran rings around the visitors, the latter setting up the Frenchman.
And Osman finished the rout off when he headed Coleman’s cross home with five minutes left, rounding off Everton’s first win of the season in the process.