IT’S a scenario that would normally prompt Evertonians to break out in a cold sweat.

With David Moyes’s men having long since departed the Goodison turf, the away team, dressed in red, celebrated in front of a travelling support that had spent part of the previous 90 minutes singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.

On Saturday, however, Everton FC were safely back in the dressing room with the job done and a potential FA Cup banana skin sidestepped.

After the drama of Wednesday night’s defeat to Bolton Wanderers, the Goodison faithful were back to watching this season’s standard fare of dull, workmanlike football.

But having previously attracted the wrong kind of attention on third-round day, Moyes will be content at yet another lowly place in the highlights running order following subdued victory over non-league Tamworth.

Silence of the Lambs this may have been, but it was no classic.

With the horrors of Shrewsbury Town and Oldham Athletic etched indelibly on his psyche, the Goodison manager will be simply pleased to progress, especially on a home patch that hasn’t been particularly fruitful this season.

But that even Blue Square Premier Bet opposition were able to expose Everton’s ongoing shortcomings is a concern.

Once again, Moyes’s men struggled for creativity. Despite an attacking albeit much-changed line-up, Everton were reliant on two set-piece goals to break down a Tamworth defence that, while dogged, was often betrayed by their standing in the league ladder.

While Moyes remained on the field after the final whistle to congratulate Tamworth’s players, it’s unlikely he was quite as effusive in his praise when reunited with his own team.

With injuries and the need to rotate handing an opportunity to a clutch of fringe players, few strengthened their claims to any great degree.

Indeed, there would be few tears shed among the Goodison faithful should there be genuine foundation to rumoured interest in Diniyar Bilyaletdinov returning to his Russian homeland.

Operating in a central midfield role, Saturday should have been the ideal stage for Bilyaletdinov to prove he can help provide the inspiration and craft from midfield that Moyes is so desperately seeking.

Instead, despite a few flickers of imagination, the Russian once again flattered to deceive. It’s the story of his Goodison career; a book that may now not have many chapters remaining.

James McFadden, meanwhile, would have just been glad to be on the field. After a brace of substitute appearances, this was the Scot’s full debut since returning to Goodison late last year and his first competitive start since turning out for Birmingham City back in September 2010.