In the end the gloves came off, and Adrian delivered the knockout blow. West Ham and their charismatic goalkeeper are up for the FA Cup.
After two games and 210 minutes, a sending-off and 20 penalties, three of which were missed, Sam Allardyce and his team have been rewarded with place in the fourth round and a trip to Ashton Gate to play Bristol City, second in League One, at the end of the month.
They can think about that later.
Wembley, along with the memories of 1964, 1975 and 1980 is a still long way off, not that you would know it by the way West Ham’s players celebrated this incredible night at Upton Park.
When Adrian smashed the decisive spot-kick past his opposite number Joel Robles, he set off on the predictable celebration by a corner flag where his West Ham team-mates finally caught up with him. They have put a smile back on the face of the FA Cup.
Sometimes you have to say to hell with the quality and think about the drama at a game like this. West Ham fans were lapping it up.
They could easily have gone out after the introduction of Kevin Mirallas, who was thrown on in the 67th minute to save this game for Everton when they were down to 10 men.
He almost turned match-winner, scoring a magnificent curling equaliser after 82 minutes and then drawing a massive circle inside the West Ham penalty area to supply Romelu Lukaku seven minutes into extra-time.
The Belgian forward scored and then it was all about survival for Roberto Martinez and his Everton team.
They almost made it over the line but Andy Carroll’s contribution to this third-round victory should not be underestimated.
The big man set up the Hammers’ opening goal after 51 minutes with a teasing through ball for Enner Valencia to scramble beyond Everton keeper Robles.
When Martinez’s team went down to 10 they looked done. Aiden McGeady, their most creative player in the first half, was the one dismissed after bringing down Mark Noble in the 56th minute and earning a second yellow.
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