Review of the Year - January 06

January was to be Everton's best month, with the Toffees going seven games undefeated and rising up the division.

The win over Sunderland on the last day of 2005 acted as a catalyst as David Moyes' men recorded a 3-1 win over Charlton at Goodison in the first game of 2006.

Tim Cahill was twice on the scoresheet as he entered into a welcome return to form.

The Blues also dispatched Millwall in the FA Cup, albeit courtesy of another Cahill goal in the replay, after Leon Osman had got his side out of jail at the New Den.

Ossie is on the scene as the ball goes in at Fratton Park

Osman also looked to have been the hero at Portsmouth, where the Blues came away with a 1-0 win against Harry Redknapp's rebuilt side.

Sadly for Ossie though, the FA's Dubious Goals Committee chalked it off and awarded it as an own goal - a fate that was to repeat itself when Everton visited Wigan later in the month.

That set up a fourth round showdown with Chelsea - but first Everton had to take on Arsenal at Goodison.

In an outstanding performance, James Beattie scored the only goal in a game that also saw the homecoming of Alan Stubbs, the lifelong Evertonian who returned to Goodison in the transfer window.

James McFadden nets against Chelsea

Another strong performance the following week saw Everton take the lead against Chelsea in the cup, only for the Champions to equalise and force a replay.

The last game in January marked Everton's first ever visit to the JJB stadium where they played out a 1-1 draw with Wigan that was, unfortunately, more notable for the incident leading to a seven game ban for Duncan Ferguson.

But Everton still ended the month with an unbeaten record in 2006, and high hopes of making this year a better one than 2005.