Salomon Rondon became the first man to score against Boreham Wood in the Emirates FA Cup this season as the National League side saw their magical run end with a 2-0 defeat away to Everton.
It took the best part of an hour for Frank Lampard’s team to break down their opponents, who sit 78 positions below them in the league pyramid.
In the end though, Everton’s attacking class told as they monopolised possession in the second half with Rondon twice finding the net to set up a quarter-final date with Crystal Palace.
For the Wood, it marks the end of sensational cup run, with their focus now set to return to trying to earn promotion from the National League.
Since knocking out Barnet in the fourth qualifying round, Luke Garrard’s team have added the scalps of non-league pair Eastleigh and St Albans City, League One AFC Wimbledon and Championship Bournemouth.
The possibility of a Premier League victim did not seem out of the question after a first half which Everton dominated, without really threatening the goal of Taye Ashby-Hammond.
Vitaliy Mykolenko, Everton’s captain on the night, had the first chance of the game with a first-time shot from the left that the Wood keeper was able to save comfortably.
Youngster Anthony Gordon was a threat for Everton all evening, forcing a sharp save from Ashby-Hammond from wide on the right.
The visitors had created little, but shortly before half-time Tyrone Marsh found himself in space near the byline, but fired straight at Asmir Begovic when a pull-back might have been the better option.
Lampard turned to Richarlison at half-time, and his introduction seemed to spark Everton into life.
First Mykolenko flashed a dangerous cross into the six-yard box which just evaded Rondon who would have had a tap-in.
Three minutes later the Venezuelan should have scored when Jonjoe Kenny put a pinpoint cross in from the right with Rondon somehow heading over from six yards out.
He made amends on 56 minutes, and it was the same combination which broke the deadlock. This time Kenny put the cross in on the deck and Rondon got in front of his man to whip it past Ashby-Hammond at the near post.
Richarlison thought he had made the tie safe with 20 minutes to go after Connor Stevens’ header had bounced into him before trickling into the net. A quick check with VAR showed that the ball had gone in off his hand though and the visitors breathed a sigh of relief.
It was only temporary respite however, Rondon heading home Townsend’s cross from a short corner with six minutes to go. Ashby-Hammond palmed it away, but only after the ball had crossed the line.
So it is Everton who head into the last eight and a trip to Selhurst Park, reaching the quarter-final stage for the second season running. But there was understandably plenty of emotion from the Boreham Wood players and manager Garrard at just what they have achieved this season.
