Everton marched into the League Cup quarter-finals on Thursday night with a convincing 3-1 victory over Newcastle United at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

James Garner opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark, firing a superb finish into the bottom corner to put the hosts ahead against the run of play. Hayden Hackney added a second before the break, and although Newcastle pressed hard after half-time, Thierno Barry made it 3-0 in the 69th minute, dispatching Dewsbury-Hall's cross into the top corner.

A late consolation

Dan Burn headed in a late consolation for the visitors, but it was too little, too late. Everton's win was all the more impressive given the absence of Jack Grealish, who was left out of the matchday squad following an internal breach of club discipline.

David Moyes' side will now travel to Fleetwood Town in the quarter-finals — a tie that has captured the imagination after the League Two club produced the shock of the round by beating Premier League champions Arsenal on penalties on Tuesday night.

The quarter-final draw

Elsewhere in the draw, Crystal Palace will host Sunderland, Bournemouth travel to Liverpool, and defending champions Manchester City face third-tier Bradford City. The quarter-final ties are scheduled for the week beginning 14 December.

For Everton, the run offers a genuine chance of silverware and a welcome boost after a mixed start to the season. For Newcastle, the defeat ends one route to a trophy, although the two sides meet again within days in the Premier League, giving Eddie Howe's team an immediate chance at revenge at St James' Park.

Fleetwood, meanwhile, will believe anything is possible. Having already claimed the scalp of the champions, they now welcome another Premier League side to their ground with a semi-final place at stake — the kind of tie that makes the League Cup special.

Sources: Reuters; TNT Sports.