ON THIS DAY… Heath is the semi-final hero, Amokachi at the double (again!), and Cahill brace earns a point...
Everton’s 16-year wait for an FA Cup final appearance came to an end ON THIS DAY in 1984 when Adrian Heath scored the only goal of the semi-final against Southampton at Highbury.
The Howard Kendall revival was gathering momentum and the Blues travelled to London on the back of one defeat in seven games in all competitions – and that was the League Cup final replay against Liverpool.
Everton had climbed to mid-table in the First Division, but the Saints were fifth and chasing hard for a European slot.
Kendall made one change to the side that had drawn 0-0 with Arsenal the previous week, restoring Trevor Steven and moving Graeme Sharp to the bench.
After 90 goalless minutes the game moved into extra-time and, with just three minutes remaining, Peter Reid challenged Reuben Agboola for the ball by the corner flag and earned Everton a free-kick, awarded for handball against the Saints defender.
Reid took the kick, Derek Mountfield flicked the ball on, and Heath was there to nod it past Peter Shilton.
Cue absolute pandemonium amongst the Evertonians. The Blues were back at Wembley!
Another FA Cup semi-final hero, Daniel Amokachi, was on the mark ON THIS DAY in 1995.
Just five days earlier, the Nigerian striker had netted twice against Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road and he did it again against Newcastle United at Goodison Park.
His first was in the 23rd minute when he superbly controlled a tremendous pass from Anders Limpar before finishing smartly past Mike Hooper.
His next came 10 minutes into the second-half when Hooper could only parry an Andy Hinchcliffe shot and Amokachi nodded home the rebound.
The timings of his ‘double-brace’ meant that he had scored four goals in just over an hour!
Tim Cahill notched twice, too, ON THIS DAY in 2010 - but it was only enough to earn a point at Aston Villa.
The Australian opened the scoring at Villa Park when he headed a Leighton Baines free-kick past Brad Friedel mid-way through the first-half.
Villa equalised on 72 minutes when Gabriel Agbonlahor flicked a James Milner cross into the Everton net.
Almost immediately, though, the Blues regained the lead with another Cahill header, this time from a Diniyar Bilyaletdinov corner.
But just as the travelling Evertonians were celebrating a vital away win, Villa levelled again in stoppage time when a cross from Ashley Young was inadvertently turned into his own goal by Phil Jagielka.
