Everton U21s 3 – 1 Blackburn Rovers U21s
Everton U21s kick off the new Premier League 2 season tonight with a very good win over Blackburn Rovers at Southport’s Big Help Stadium.
Everton had a more youthful look to their team with Callum Bates, Jacob Beaumont-Clark and Martin Sherif stepping up to this level after impressing for the Toffees’ Under-18s side last season.
Paul Tait did not have the talents of Harrison Armstrong, Jenson Metcalfe, or Elijah Campbell to call upon, suggesting they may have been further upgraded to the senior squad for attendance on the subs bench at Goodison Park and the opening Premier League game of the season against Brighton tomorrow.
But there was a first sighting of new talent William Tamen, the 18-year-old centre-back signed from Burton Albion for an undisclosed fee last week. He joined Omari Benjamin the other new face in this squad, although Kingsford Boakye was not involved.
Everton U21s just played a Blackburn side last week as part of their pre-season preparation but came out on the wrong side of a 3-0 scoreline, so were well motivated to seek some revenge this evening.
And Everton got off to a great start, Roman Dixon breaking down the right and pulling the ball back for Isaac Heath to plant an excellent finish past the Rovers keeper inside 3 minutes.
George Pickford in goal for Everton had to make three good saves to make sure the Blues kept their early lead before Everton scored again after 16 minutes, a cross from Roman Dixon eluding everyone including the Rovers keeper, Jack Barrett, formerly with the Everton Academy.
However, in the highlights of the game provided later, this goal is credited to Francis Okoronkwo, who runs across the line of the ball in front of the keeper, although doesn’t appear to actually touch it. But the players’ celebration seems to suggest that he indeed got the final touch.
Everton did well until just before the break when a heavy deflection wrong-footed Pickford, who was finally beaten.
Everton came under the cosh in the second half but finally sealed the win in added time when Omari Benjamin slipped the ball through to Martin Sherif who finished superbly.
Everton U21s: G Pickford, Dixon, Butler, Tamen, Welch [Y:59′], Butterfield, Heath, Djankpata (63′ Bates), Okoronkwo (72′ Beaumont-Clark), Whitaker (72′ Sherif), Benjamin (90+4′ Samuels-Smith).
Subs not Used: Barnsley.