Everton 4 Brentford 1: Lampard has lift off as Richarlison and Co forget Prem woes to fire Toffees through in FA Cup

FRANK LAMPARD beamed with delight and Goodison was suddenly place full of happy, smiley place again.

Richarlison produced a blinder, Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate scored from set pieces and Andros Townsend rounded it all off with a fine finish.

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Yerry Mina opened the scoring for Everton against Brentford in the 31st minute[/caption]

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Richarlison put the Toffees 2-0 up early into the second half at Goodison Park[/caption]

A stadium that only 14 days earlier was the most miserable spot on Merseyside bounced with delight.

Lampard will demand far more than this progress into the fifth round even if the scoreline suggests it was the perfect start for him.

Most importantly from England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford who walked the line between bravura, brilliance and bizarre.

Centre-half Mina, who replaced injured Ben Godfrey 13 minutes into the game may have impressed with the header that put the Toffees in front to register the first goal of the Lampard era.

Not so much when the ball is lifted forward from the opposition.

Skipper Seamus Coleman, playing as right wing back, almost gifted Ivan Toney an early chance.

His attempt at a pass back to Pickford was so bad it even caught out Ivan Toney and Pickford was so panicked that he played and missed, Holgate coming to the rescue.

Yet Goodison needed a win after the turmoil of the 22-game reign Rafa Benitez.

And Lampard delivered it, and while Thomas Frank’s side were something of a soft touch, all of those in blue and himself especially will take it.

A fortnight ago at the end of the 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa when fans demonstrated against majority owner Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright the whole place was toxic.

And while the Gladwys Street end did unfurl a flag that read : “Best of Luck Frank” there was another displayed in the same section of the not-so-faithful.

The hierarchy were reminded of what is expected of them and those they employ, that banner proclaiming in English the latin that adorns the club badge: Nils Satis, Nils Optimum.

Alongside a picture of the late, great Howard Kendall the message was: “Nothing but the best is good enough. Our motto is our standard.”

But this win was certainly good enough for a side that had taken only six points from its previous 13 games.

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Ivan Toney pulled a goal back for Brentford from the penalty spot in Merseyside[/caption]

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Mason Holgate quickly restored Everton’s two-goal lead in the 62nd minute[/caption]

Lampard needed a solid base to start after the scary sink into Premier League quicksand that defined his Spanish predecessor’s short on what for the supporters was always the wrong side of Stanley Park.

Now he can head to Newcastle and start to build.

His new arrivals Dele Alli and Donny van de Beek will surely make their debuts and the new attacking core of the team will be created.

Yet this was the first time that Everton had scored four goals or more in a game since 5 – 4 over Dele’s former side Tottenham after extra time in the FA Cup fifth round in February.

Lampard did need that luck at times.

After Richarlison had moved on to Allan’s through ball to lash home an 18 yard volley Toney scored from the spot in the 55th minute after Pickford’s mis-timed attempt to grab the ball at the striker’s feet.

Six minutes later Pickford hesitated as Mina was caught by one of those high deliveries he can’t seem to deal with.

Toney got a toe to the ball and for a moment it looked like arcing over the ‘keeper until he scrambled to grab it.

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Holgate wheeled away in delight after scoring his first goal of the season[/caption]

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Andros Townsend sealed Everton’s passage into the FA Cup fifth round with a strike in injury time[/caption]

But sixty seconds later the pressure was off and the Bees’ hopes of further destabilising their opponents was gone as Holtgate stabbed home.

Townsend added the icing to Lampard’s cake with a drilled finish in time added on and the Stamford Bridge icon punched the air in delight at the final whistle.

Of course he has barely begun and his new side are going to be a work in progress for quite a while.

The fight to remain in the Prem starts on Tuesday while Brentford, who have now lost seven and won one of their last eight games are in free fall.

Frank made it to the touchline after fears that a positive Covid test might prevent his presence.

But the look on his face at the end was anything but happy.

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It was a perfect start for Frank Lampard who begins his Everton career with a win[/caption]

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