• FA Cup

Moyes thrilled with battling Everton

David Moyes was delighted with the way his side responded to criticism last week when defeating Chelsea on penalties in their FA Cup fourth-round replay on Saturday.

Moyes was fuming with his side when losing 2-0 to Bolton Wanderers last weekend and described the performance as "as bad as I can remember since I've been in charge".

However, after Leighton Baines had responded to Frank Lampard's goal in extra-time with a fine free-kick with just a minute remaining, Everton defeated the FA Cup holders 4-3 on penalties at Stamford Bridge.

"It was questioned last week [Everton's work-rate] and I said the players here normally respond, and they certainly responded today," Moyes told ESPN.

"The games against Chelsea have been really tight over the years - I actually thought in the first game we played really well and but for a save from Cech and a great tackle from Essien we would have been two up and probably through to the round, so to come back to Stamford Bridge again this season was a daunting task to a side that has not lost a game in the cup for how long, two or three years now?

"It doesn't matter. The boys stuck at it, we got a free-kick at the end and it was a great goal and obviously the penalty kicks were excellent.

"It was postage-stamp [from Baines], because the goalkeeper is very hard to get the ball past. But you know something, it was no more than we deserved over the two games. We rode our luck with a couple of things and in the second half Chelsea got much better, but no more than we deserved in the game, the players were terrific the whole game."

The defeat of Chelsea was welcome relief for an Everton side that currently sits in 13th place in the Premier League, just three points clear of the relegation zone.

Moyes has been under increasing pressure of late and would not speculate whether victory could help transform Everton's season. He said: "I have been asked that question every week for 25 weeks now so all I can say is we are through in the cup.

"You saw an Everton team and an Everton performance with a great team spirit, and you saw a great deal of good ability as well, they are really good players."

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