Everton exited the Carabao Cup at the third round stage with a 4-1 loss to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Manager Frank Lampard shuffled his pack for the clash on the south coast, making 11 changes to the side that started against Leicester City in the Premier League three days earlier.
Fortuitous strikes early in both halves proved costly for the Blues, who halved the deficit through Demarai Gray midway through the second period before conceding twice late on.
The hosts started brightly but the opener on seven minutes came in extremely fortunate circumstances, when Jamal Lowe’s hopeful side-footed shot from just inside the penalty area took a wicked deflection off the outstretched leg of James Garner and looped into the back of the net via the crossbar.
The early setback appeared to jolt Everton into life, though, and a flurry of opportunities followed in the space of a breathless five-minute period.
The best of those fell to Tom Davies after a defence-splitting pass from Abdoulaye Doucoure but, with only the goalkeeper to beat, the Academy graduate fired over the crossbar.
Everton came again and James Garner — on his maiden start for the Club following his summer move from Manchester United — forced Mark Travers into a save at full stretch with an opportunistic left-footed drive from 20-yards out.
Rúben Vinagre then burst down the left flank and produced an inviting cross that was met by Yerry Mina at the far post, only for Anthony Gordon to miscue his header over the target.
On the opposite flank, Nathan Patterson threatened with a driving 70-yard run but his lay-off towards Gordon at the crucial moment was under-hit and Bournemouth survived.
After overcoming that onslaught, the Cherries began to frustrate Lampard’s side and that was underlined when Gordon picked up the first yellow card of the evening for a heavy sliding challenge as the half drew to a close.
Those feelings were compounded with the second period less than two minutes old.
Asmir Begovic, captaining Everton against his former side, looked to find Holgate, who slipped at the vital moment allowing Ryan Christie to pinch possession. The Bournemouth midfielder’s cut-back was then deflected into the path of Lowe and then yet another ricochet on the goalscorer’s attempted cross allowed Junior Stanislas to tap home from close range to double the deficit.
Lampard immediately responded with a triple substitution that saw Alex Iwobi, Demarai Gray and Dwight McNeil enter the fray.
Two of those changes combined to get Everton back in the contest with 24 minutes remaining, with Iwobi’s pass helped on by Maupay to Gray, who held off Ryan Fredericks before pivoting and curling an exquisite curling shot beyond Travers.
The Toffees, buoyed by another sold-out away following, had their tails up but were then dealt another blow when Bournemouth restored their two-goal advantage with 12 minutes remaining, substitute Emiliano Marcondes sweeping home a rebound after Begovic had denied Lowe.
Tom Cannon was handed a senior debut with 10 minutes remaining, while Stanley Mills also stepped off the bench after impressing for the Under-21s so far this campaign.
But Bournemouth added a fourth via Jaidon Anthony in the closing minutes to seal a disappointing night.
Everton head back to the Vitality Stadium on Saturday in the Premier League in the final game before the World Cup break.
