Everton U21s 8- 4 Ipswich Town U21s
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A remarkable end-game for Everton U21s taking on Ipswich Town as 12 goals were scored at Goodison Park tonight in their final game of the regular Premier League 2 season, with the Young Blues still missing the cut for the playoffs.
The Young Blues have slipped down the 29-team Premier League 2 table with a run of poor results, and were in 22nd place but would move up at least two places if they win tonight.
The top 16 teams in PL2 qualify for the playoffs with a knockout format to determine the PL2 Champions.
Teams finishing 17th to 24th will play off against the Top 8 finishers in the 2025-26 Professional Development League 2 -- Under-21 football's second tier, designed for those academies with Category 2 status. The result of these playoffs will determine their national champion.
Official Members of Everton FC are able to watch a live stream of the clash on EvertonTV+.
Everton were ahead early on when Braiden Graham (7') turned in an excellent cross from Luca Davis. But poor defending saw Ipswich Town equalise soon afterwards.
From a corner, Omari Benjamin (36') powered home a straight-forward header to restore Everton's lead. But the Young Tractormen pulled back another goal.
But another excellent corner was converted, this time by Kingsford Boakye (41') and the Blues retained that lead at the half-time whistle.
Into the second half and a good move saw Ipswich Town get a third equaliser. But Omari Benhjamin made a great run into the opposition area and had his feet whipped away from under him. Braiden Graham (57') lashed an excellent penalty home from the spot.
It was only a few minutes later that Braiden Graham (62') got behind the Ipswich Town defence and finished with aplomb to claim a fine hat-trick.
But a terrible error by the Ipswich Town goalkeeper failing to deal with a clearance from the Everton penalty area left Braiden Graham (67') with an empty net for his fourth and Everton's sixth goal of the night.
A slew of changes were then made by Paul Tait. And Ipswich soon got the 10th goal of this crazy game.
The seventh Everton goal was special, however: Calum Bates (81') with a screamer from 25 yards into the top corner of the Gwladys Street goal. Malik Olayiwola got Everton's 8th but it was flagged offside.
However, seconds later Shea Pita did get Everton's 8th goal! A lovely pass from Graham set him up and he picked his spot across goal, just inside the far post.
Everton U21s: G Pickford, Davis, Samuels-Smith, Welch, Thomas, Foster (70' Olayiwola), Boakye (70' Pita), Gomez (86' Ebere), Benjamin, (70' Catesby), Bates, Graham.
Subs not Used: Patrick.
Reader Comments (32)
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2 Posted 17/04/2026 at 19:45:37
We definitely need a new coach at the U21’s next season.
3 Posted 17/04/2026 at 20:10:23
4 Posted 17/04/2026 at 20:20:28
Are you taking the dog for a walk Michael?
5 Posted 17/04/2026 at 20:21:25
See above for all the Everton goal scorers.
6 Posted 17/04/2026 at 20:23:31
Can't get her interested in U21s for some reason.
But Braiden Graham gets his third with a great finish.
7 Posted 17/04/2026 at 20:28:20
Plenty of goals there, Michael, are you watching the game?
I'm paying, as usual, for the information I've sent in. That's Braiden's second goal, Michael, not his third!
8 Posted 17/04/2026 at 20:34:52
Graham getting a hat-trick and still 20 minutes to go.
9 Posted 17/04/2026 at 20:38:40
You can watch it for free if you've paid your membership dues.
10 Posted 17/04/2026 at 20:39:56
Put him on the bench tomorrow, Moyesie, as a reward for a good season's job; I know you won't play him.
11 Posted 17/04/2026 at 20:44:17
Calum Bates with a screamer from 25 yards into the top corner of the Gwladys Street goal.
7-4
12 Posted 17/04/2026 at 20:44:44
I've only seen clips of Graham. Looks rapid with a clear ruthless finishing ability. Is he physically up to the Premier League though?
Michael Owen didn't look like he was strong enough but he just ran past defences. Is Graham in that mould?
13 Posted 17/04/2026 at 21:03:30
I've seen Braiden a few times for the U18s and U21s and he is a very good player with a football brain. The only thing that might stop him playing in the Premier League is his stature, very light and small... But I'm hoping he can overcome that like plenty of top class players have done over the years.
I thought he might have got a few minutes in the first team by now and, although the U21s have just finished their season, there is time for Graham to get a few minutes with the first team as a reward for a very good season's work with the Academy teams this season.
15 Posted 17/04/2026 at 21:07:58
Yes, Dave, you have told us about that three or four times over the years!
16 Posted 17/04/2026 at 21:10:54
Not enough for the PL2 playoffs (Top 16) or to qualify for next season's Premier League International Cup, unfortunately.
But it seems we do go into these other playoffs against the Top 8 finishers in the 2025-26 Professional Development League 2. So don't switch your iPad off just yet, Dave, the season is not over!
17 Posted 17/04/2026 at 21:17:38
But is he physically up to it?
18 Posted 17/04/2026 at 22:43:49
Braiden Graham has a real future but may need to develop more physically before he is ready to compete at the top level. He could probably do the goal-poaching role now but I would worry his career could be blighted with injury if he was getting regular appearances at the moment.
The crowd looked miniscule, which was a bit disappointing but must reflect that few expect to see a good number of the stars of the future in the U21 ranks.
19 Posted 18/04/2026 at 04:31:09
If he shines there, then we know that he is ready for the Premier League.
20 Posted 18/04/2026 at 08:40:48
I've only seen clips so the only things I can see are that he can finish, but that he's too small to be a No 9, especially in the Premier League and especially under Moyes.
Is he likely to be a No 10, or drift inside from the wings like a Pienaar, Ndiaye or Grealish? Unfortunately, I've not seen anything yet that suggests his success in development football is likely to translate to first team football at the top level.
Are there any good reasons why I should be more optimistic?
21 Posted 18/04/2026 at 08:46:07
He puts the ball in the net, Mike.
22 Posted 18/04/2026 at 10:00:12
23 Posted 18/04/2026 at 11:22:14
A run out for the first team, even a few minutes, to show he's appreciated before a loan to a good Championship club to see how he handles men's football would seem the best for him.
Not many small quick strikers about in Premier League now, seems a dying breed with teams wanting the big strong powerful centre-forward.
Might go against the kid.
24 Posted 18/04/2026 at 12:18:23
Jesus, what a shot!
25 Posted 18/04/2026 at 13:38:00
26 Posted 18/04/2026 at 20:25:07
Not blindingly quick but quick enough. Good close control, vision and passing, so able to set-up others as well as score himself.
‘Fox in the box'?
Not physically imposing - and that would be my concern at the moment; he's not in the Rooney mould so would he survive the malign attention of potentially much stronger, full grown men? - but I've known smallish players be like rubber balls and capable of taking everything dished out to them.
Unless he has a major growth spurt in the next few years (or has a Cahill-like leap) he's not one I can see being happy with having mainly lofted balls to work with all game.
27 Posted 18/04/2026 at 20:27:22
The lad can obviously shoot and pass well enough but did he do enough to protect the defence for you?
28 Posted 18/04/2026 at 22:11:48
I think he defends from the front, not scared and is never idle, especially his football brain that works overtime.
29 Posted 19/04/2026 at 11:46:21
The gap between U21 and Premier League is a chasm, so doing something at that level doesn't necessarily mean much I'm afraid. I'm asking what attributes he has that will get him a place in a Premier League team, and scoring goals at U21 isn't enough.
At the very least he'll have to be strong enough to compete physically, he'll have to have endurance and he'll have to have the skill to retain possession and pick passes. Does anyone have any thoughts on those?
30 Posted 19/04/2026 at 11:56:43
On your last paragraph, all I want for Braiden at the moment is he gets a manager who gives him a chance to prove what he can do.
Braiden isn't Alan Ball, the same Alan Ball who was told he was too small by Bolton Wanderers!
31 Posted 19/04/2026 at 12:01:20
32 Posted 19/04/2026 at 12:28:06
33 Posted 20/04/2026 at 13:34:56
I haven't seen enough of the lad to have an opinion about him.
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1 Posted 17/04/2026 at 19:23:32