Leon Osman's thunderbolt before half-time was enough to see Everton progress against Macclesfield.
Moyes' men do just enough against League Two opposition
Leon Osman's thunderbolt before half-time was enough to see Everton secure a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup against Macclesfield.
The Toffees started the match confidently enough at Moss Rose by controlling the bulk of the possession and territory without every really threatening the Silkmen.
Against the run of play Keith Alexander's side should have taken the lead, but Nat Brown failed to hit the target with a back post header from James Jennings' cross.
The crucial goal arrived two minutes before the break when Osman sent a right-footed effort from just outside the penalty area into the top corner after Macclesfield failed to deal sufficiently with Leighton Baines' cross.
Victor Anichebe and Osman came close to doubling the visitors' advantage after half-time while substitute Danny Thomas felt he should have won a penalty after being felled by Tony Hibbert.
Macclesfield nearly snatched a last-gasp replay deep into injury time, but Tim Howard, who had nothing to do throughout the game, pulled off a fine save to deny Simon Yeo.
The League Two club also gave Everton a couple of huge scares in the opening stages despite lying 76 places below them in the league standings.
Terry Dunfield latched on to a poor clearance from Phil Neville only to fire his effort over the bar in the second minute.
Even better chance
They had an even better chance nine minutes later when Brown escaped his marker. However, he headed over the bar from inside the six-yard box following a cross from Jennings.
Baines then breached the home defence five minutes later but Osman just failed to get a vital touch at the back post.
And Tim Cahill should perhaps have done better in the 31st minute following a long throw from Neville. Cahill, who has scored some vital goals in recent weeks, got clear at the back post only to send a tame shot into the arms of Jon Brain.
Mikel Arteta swung in a free-kick in the 42nd minute and tried to release Osman but the ball was anticipated and cleared.
A minute later Everton made the breakthrough thanks to a moment of magic from Osman. The industrious midfielder took advantage of a poor clearance to crack a splendid half-volley from the edge of the area past Brain.
Macclesfield goalkeeper Brain then had to look alert in the 50th minute following an in-swinging cross from Hibbert with Everton looking to extend their lead.
The visitors kept up the pressure and Joleon Lescott released Baines but he lost his footing as he was about to deliver the cross and the move broke down.
Scrambled away
Steven Pienaar then picked out Osman with a superb crossfield pass, only for his delivery into the area to be scrambled away.
Pienaar and Baines linked up again in the 61st minute but Baines' cross was easily cut out.
Neville tried his luck on goal three minutes later but his effort was blocked.
Then Phil Jagielka sent an instinctive overhead kick onto the roof of the net in the 67th minute. The defender's speculative effort came after Lescott had got on the end of a free-kick from Arteta.
It looked just a matter of time before Everton would extend their lead such was their dominance at this stage of the game.
Jagielka almost added to Everton's tally with a fierce volley over the top in the 73rd minute.
Two minutes later Baines was cursing his luck as his superb chip drifted wide of Brain's post.
Macclesfield had a penalty appeal turned down when substitute Danny Thomas went to ground following a challenge from Hibbert. Then in stoppage time Yeo almost equalised only for Howard to block his effort.
| Team Name |
Macclesfield Town |
Everton |
| Possession |
47% |
53% |
| Goals |
0 |
1 |
| Shots On Target |
1 |
3 |
| Shots Off Target |
7 |
10 |
| Blocked Shots |
1 |
0 |
| Corners |
0 |
9 |
| Fouls Conceded |
11 |
8 |
| Offsides |
2 |
3 |
| Yellow Cards |
0 |
0 |
| Red Cards |
0 |
0 |
|
