Hull v Everton

As awayday's go, they don't get much better than this.

Everton cruised into the fourth round of the Carling Cup with an emphatic and impressive 4-0 demolition of Hull City - the first time since March 2002 that David Moyes has seen his side net four times away from Goodison Park. It is also the biggest away win under Moyes.

But that wasn't the only reason for Evertonians to be cheerful. The game also afforded Yakubu, who netted with a typically calm finish, his first start of the season and Lucas Neill made his Everton debut as a second half substitute.

And the plus-points did not end there on a night when Yakubu's opener was followed by strikes from Jo, Dan Gosling and Leon Osman.

Handed the skipper's armband and offered a role in the heart of midfield, Osman relished the evening. He was cool on the ball and showed typical ingenuity time and again in knitting together Everton's attacking salvos.

And so it was fitting he marked the evening with a goal - capitalising on a loose ball in the six yard box in the 57th minute to net the fourth and final goal of the tie.

Elsewhere and John Heitinga, employed in a central defensive role for the first time, showed he is not afraid of an aerial challenge.

But it was Yakubu who provided the biggest boost of a memorable evening for the Blues.

Yakubu nets his first since returning from injury

He has been out of the squad so long through injury he feels like a new signing - and, just as he did on his first 'debut' at the Reebok Stadium, he found the net.

His first few touches may not have been as crisp as we have come to expect from the Nigerian international. But after 10 months out of the starting line-up because of an Achilles injury he can be forgiven that. The one thing he has not lost, however, is his eye for goal.

He proved that less than 11 minutes into this tie, coolly passing the ball beyond Matt Duke from 10 yards after a neat ball into his path from Dan Gosling.

Not to be outdone, Jo underlined the attacking options available to David Moyes by deftly finding the corner of the net in the 20th minute - doubling the Blues lead and putting the contest beyond Hull's reach with less than a quarter played.

But the travelling Toffees weren't finished there. The third goal was from another player drafted into the side for the match - Dan Gosling surging down the inside right before firing a cracking shot beyond Duke from 15 yards with just 24 minutes on the clock.

Having put the tie beyond the Tigers, Yakubu was withdrawn at the interval to give Marouane Fellaini an opportunity to get minutes under his belt.

Stand-in skipper Leon Osman celebrates netting Everton's fourth at Hull

The home side, buoyed by a bold double substitution by Brown at the interval, started brightly in the early skirmishes of the second period.

But Everton's grip on the tie was unrelenting. Osman's goal shortly before the hour was fully deserved - for the player and the team.

And the sight of Lucas Neill entering the fray for his first appearance in a blue shirt minutes later was well received by the travelling fans.

The Aussie was afforded 30 minutes in which to underline his credentials with the trip to Portsmouth looming at the weekend.

He slotted in at right-back and wasn't troubled.

Hull came closest to scoring with 10 minutes remaining, Kamel Ghilas hitting the woodwork. But Tim Howard was rarely troubled on the night - with the exception of a fine double save late on.

There was even chance for Moyes to hand Kieran Agard his senior debut as a sub in the closing minutes.

The draw for the fourth round will be made this weekend.