Everton needed second-half strikes from Beto and Arnaut Danjuma to spare them from a Carabao Cup humiliation at Doncaster Rovers.
At half-time the Toffees were staring down the barrel of a defeat against League Two's bottom side when Joe Ironside headed them in front. But after the break the new forwards saved the day.
Sean Dyche would have been pulling imaginary hair out when he looked back at Ironside opener as the striker appeared to be offside.
There will still be concerns over how hard Doncaster made the Toffees work for it. And while it was shocking defending from the set-piece, had VAR been involved, the goal would have surely not stood.
Nevertheless, Everton got what they deserved for a lifeless display in the first-half having managed just one shot on target in the opening 45 minutes, while Doncaster managed 11 in total.
The home fans didn't give Everton boss Sean Dyche much respite as they started up chants of 'you're getting sacked in the morning'.
The Premier League's bottom side hadn't scored a single goal going into the match but managed to find two in a much-improved second-half performance.
After Dyche made a triple substitution at half time, £30million signing from Udinese Beto entered the fray and made an immediate impact.
The Portuguese forward, who scored ten Serie A goals last season, levelled on 73 minutes as he planted the ball past an onrushing Ian Lawlor after latching onto a searching through ball.
Danjuma then slotted home Everton's second on 88 minutes and thus seal a tie at Aston Villa in the third round.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest football fixtures, results and standings in our new match centre.
This service is provided on talkSPORT Ltd’s Terms of Use in accordance with our Privacy Policy.