The FA Cup is something that is held in high regard at West Ham with many of the club’s most famous nights coming in this great competition.

It therefore was fitting the Boleyn Ground would bare witness to an epic third round replay with Everton.

Whilst the first half lacked imagination the rest of the game was pulsating with four goals, a sending off, dramatic late efforts, extra-time and a remarkable penalty shoot out.

As the final whistle blew I felt weak. I was totally drained with what I had witnessed and sometimes it’s hard to believe the range of emotions a football match can serve up.

The night belonged to goalkeeper Adrian, who made one brilliant save in the shoot-out and ended up taking the final penalty to send West Ham through.

Adrian loves to play to the crowd and this was his defining moment. You knew that even if Adrian never played again after this match his name would be forever etched in West Ham folklore.

As the Spaniard took off his gloves and set himself (with an over the top run up) it took the evening’s entertainment to new heights and was a fitting way to end such a game.

With the contest ending 2-2 after extra-time, West Ham eventually won 9-8 on penalties against a hard-working Everton side who played for more than half the tie with ten men after Aiden McGeady was sent off for two silly cautions.

I do have to mention the superb support from the Everton fans who filled their allocation of 3000 and it was great to see another club (a proper club) respect the FA Cup.

Things have been difficult in recent weeks, with the Hammers not having won in four games but there was no question of desire in this one and I can’t imagine any West Ham fan leaving Upton Park without being on a high.

Everything seemed to be going the home side’s way when Enner Valencia, pictured, scored his first goal since November.

With a one-man advantage it seemed as though West Ham were going to win their first FA Cup tie since 2011 but with eight minutes remaining the wind was taken out of the fans as Kevin Mirallas scored a stunning free-kick to take the game to extra-time.

With many of us scratching our heads as to how Everton were still in the game, they went and took the lead early into the first half of extra-time. The atmosphere was one of trauma and the shock of being 2-1 down filtered through to the players, who couldn’t seem to get themselves together.

With minutes remaining Sam Allardyce threw on Carlton Cole who equalised moments later. It was edge-of-your-seat stuff and when penalties came around, the drama just would not relent.

When Stewart Downing missed the chance to win the shoot-out I could only fear the worst, but the spot-kicks just kept being converted until Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles was required to take one and he smashed his attempt against the crossbar leaving Adrian to see West Ham through to the fourth round and an away trip to League One side Bristol City.

You go to football searching for that something that is often too difficult to explain to most people. You want to feel that overwhelming wave of emotion that is a feeling like no other. You keep going back every week in the hope that you will witness that piece of magic and most of the time it never presents itself but when it does – and on this night it did – it is monumental.