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He may not have appreciated having to be left to wipe his cheek after a smacker from James McCarthy.

But Joel Robles will know full well that his crucial penalty stop has given Everton's season a much needed kiss of life.

For many in the away end at the Vitality Stadium, it may have just about saved it as well.

The Spaniard dived at full-stretch to his left hand side to push out Charlie Daniels' late first-half penalty and then delivered a defiant roar towards the Everton fans as Bournemouth conspired to send the rebound wide.

Big moments happen in every match but in the context of Everton's conflicting, roller-coaster campaign this felt more significant than most others.

It felt huge .

Against a much-changed Bournemouth side, Everton were struggling but Robles' heroics handed them a lifeline, they headed into the break level and never looked back.

And if Roberto Martinez was left cursing his luck after last weekend's defeat at home to West Brom then he was celebrating it here when Ross Barkley's deflected effort opened the scoring and set them on the way to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

The irony that former Everton player Dan Gosling was the one to give them a helping hand was not lost on anybody of the royal blue persuasion either but this was no time to feel sorry for anyone.

The Blues survived the odd nervy moment thereafter as the host pushed for an equaliser but they breathed easier when Romelu Lukaku doubled their lead from close range with less than 15 minutes remaining.

The chants of jubilant Evertonians filled the air at full-time because they knew this result meant more than simply edging them further along in the competition.

For them it is about the momentum it can offer the final third of the season and the hope that this will not be another campaign consigned to a file labelled 'one to forget'.

It had been a half to forget, make no mistake, until Robles' intervention changed the face of the tie, and maybe much more.

Barkley's goal put them in front and then Lukaku smashed home his 21 goal of the season after Gareth Barry had intelligently flicked on Bryan Oviedo's low corner.

And unlike the league game here in November, when Everton lost two leads inside the final few minutes, the Blues showed plenty of nous as they saw this tie out to a conclusion.

Exactly what conclusions we will be able to draw from this season remains to be seen but Robles' moment of inspiration was one that will be reflected on as a high point for sure.

Everton had started the tie confidently enough, playing patiently and comfortably against a Bournemouth side that saw seven changes from their last game.

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Sure, the Cherries fired the odd speculative effort at goal, but the Blues were in control.

Well, for the early part of the game at least.

After a strong start Everton began to lapse

But as the half progressed, their handle on this tie began to slip.

Everton were losing concentration, misplacing basic passes and playing more than their part in a game was quickly turning into a pretty poor spectacle.

Lukaku and James McCarthy exchanged heated words from across the pitch as the Blues lost their way and struggled badly for any spark of creativity.

Their best chance of the half came when, finally, one of Lukaku's runs in behind Bournemouth was picked out by Barry.

The £28m striker used his pace and power to leave Tommy Elphick in his wake but from a tight angle, his effort was smothered by Adam Federici.

But the best save of the half arrived at the other end soon after.

McCarthy, already booked for a foul, was penalised for handball in the area but Daniels' hammered spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Robles.

On such moments seasons have turned, or in perhaps more appropriately in Everton's case, been saved.

McCarthy planted a giant kiss on the Spanish goalkeeper for saving his bacon after Bournemouth wasted the rebound.

That – and a stern half-time team talk you would hope – appeared to lift them.

From huge relief to revival

After breathing a huge sigh of relief, Everton were reinvigorated.

They were no longer as lethargic, no longer second best to 50-50s and they were slowly bringing Lukaku into the game more and more.

His neat lay-off for McCarthy, who hit a slashing shot just wide, was a sign of their improvements and seconds later they were ahead.

Barkley shifted the ball onto his right foot on the edge of the area and with the help of a deflection off Everton old-boy Gosling, the strike looped over Federici to make it 1-0.

The Blues' luck was in but Martinez will have had his heart in his mouth when Junior Stanislas' deflected free-kick had Robles rooted to his spot, but fizzed just inches wide of the goal.

He also could only stand and watch in hope as Gosling met a corner with a free header deep in the area, but directed it straight into the arms of Robles.

It was going to be Everton's day.

Joel's safe hands so vital

These were uncomfortable moments for the away side but the 1,200 supporters in the away breathed a little easier with 14 minutes remaining when Lukaku doubled their lead.

Excellent link-up play between McCarthy and Aaron Lennon fashioned a chance for Barkley to kill the tie but his curling effort from inside the area was deflected inches wide.

He put his hands on his head in disbelief. There was the concern that the Blues would come to rue the missed opportunity.

But from the corner they got a second chance – and didn't pass it up.

Oviedo's low corner was flicked on by Barry and then buried by Lukaku from close range.

Martinez threw out his trademark clenched fist in delight but he knows just how important the safe hands of Robles were here.