The Australian, who learned his trade with the south Londoners, scrambled home the second half winner which finally subdued the Championship side.

Under Dave Tuttle, now confirmed as manager until the end of the season, Millwall have re-discovered their pride after a dreadful spell saw them slump into the Championship relegation zone.

But if the Lions continue to play like this, their rookie boss will save them from the drop.

Everton certainly knew they had been in a game and struggled desperately in the first period.

The home side lost captain David Weir with blood pouring from a head wound and it was not until Cahill’s strike that the Toffees got a grip on the game.

Everton made just one change from the side which won at Portsmouth in the Premiership on Saturday for this third round replay, with Joseph Yobo now away with Nigeria in the African Nations Cup allowing veteran defender Weir to return.

Millwall, who produced a spirited performance to claim a 1-1 draw in the first match at the New Den, had experienced Jody Morris back, while Alan Dunne also returned to the side.

The Toffees had to make a late change on their substitutes’ bench when Simon Davies limped out of the pre-match warm-up with an ankle injury, giving 17-year-old Academy youngster Victor Anichebe an unexpected first chance in the senior squad.

Everton started well with Leon Osman, who scored the late equaliser at Millwall, seeing a header fly over from Mikel Arteta’s free-kick, before driving a 20-yard effort over the bar.

But Millwall’s effort and pace constantly had Everton worried at the back, and the Lions responded with a hooked effort from Dunne which cleared the bar, before Ben May blasted a free-kick into the wall after Morris had been bodychecked by Matteo Ferrari on the edge of the box.

Arteta’s curling ball in from the left was headed wide by Cahill, but Millwall’s direct approach caused plenty of problems for Everton’s defence in which Ferrari looked anything but secure.

The south Londoners came forward with spirit and desire, and there was a constant sense of unease in the Toffees’ defence.

Weir needed extensive treatment after he was accidentally kicked in the face by team-mate Kevin Kilbane as the pair tried to deal with another dangerous ball into the box.

Weir went off, allowing Dane Per Kroldrup – whose move from Udinese has been ruined so far by injury and a failure to settle on Merseyside – to finally make his home debut.

Millwall goalkeeper Andy Marshall made a brave save at the feet of James Beattie, but much of the action was still at the other end.

Everton came forward more after the break, but Millwall defended with resolve, with on-loan Liverpool centre-back Zak Whitbread at the heart of the defiance.

But the visitors needed Marshall to produce an instinctive, tip-over from Cahill’s fierce header following an Osman cross from the right.

Phil Neville and Arteta had been kept pretty quiet by the attentions of Morris and Dave Livermore, but after one surge from midfield the former Manchester United midfielder was unfortunate to see a clever chip just clear the bar.

Then Everton broke with pace from deep defence with Osman’s low shot spinning off Marshall to the onrushing Kilbane – but he could not complete an 80-yard support run with the right finish from 12 yards.

Kilbane came even closer with a cross-shot from Osman’s pass and went closer still with a header against a post following a corner, with Whitbread almost deflecting the ball into his own net.

But the breakthrough came 18 minutes from time when Arteta played in Beattie down the right. The striker squared the ball for a lunging Cahill to beat Marshall from just inside the box.

Three minutes later it could have been two when Beattie again provided the supply line and Neville saw a fierce header crash against a post.

In the 77th minute Millwall sent on Barry Cogan for Morris, Millwall refusing to give up with Livermore forcing Nigel Martyn into a sprawling save to his left.

Kroldrup sent a powerful header from Arteta’s corner just over the angle as Everton attempted to finish the game as a contest.

A final flurry from Millwall failed to change the course of a second half, though, that Everton dominated.