Hackney scores first Everton goal in Carabao Cup win

Hayden Hackney scored his first goal for Everton in a 3-1 Carabao Cup fourth-round win over Newcastle United at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Thursday evening. James Garner and Thierno Barry also found the net, sending the Toffees into the quarter-finals.

Hackney said the result was an “important moment” for the club. “I’m delighted with that,” he said. “It was a special night.”

Everton had lost their previous two matches, and Hackney said the squad and supporters knew the fixture was a big one. “The fans really helped. They were unbelievable.”

On his goal, Hackney said he had been working on arriving in the box at the right time. “It was a great ball from Barry, and I managed to put it in the corner.”

Hackney joined from Middlesbrough in the summer and has had sporadic starts this season. He hopes the performance can keep him in David Moyes’ starting line-up. Everton are 11th in the Premier League table after eight matches.

In the quarter-finals, Everton travel to Fleetwood Town. Fleetwood beat Arsenal earlier this week to reach this stage, and Hackney expects a tough test. “It won’t be an easy game – you’ve just seen them beat Arsenal, so we’re excited for that one.”