U21s record convincing win over Southampton

Lyndon Lloyd , 9 February, 19comments | Jump to most recent

Everton Under-21s beat Southampton 3-1 in Southport thanks to a strong first half hour where they stormed into a 3-0 lead thanks to goals by David Henen, Jonjoe Kenny and Brendan Galloway.

The Saints pulled a goal back with 19 minutes to go through Bevis Mugabi.

The Blues' second string began the evening in sixth place in the U21s Premier League, four places behind Southampton, but with Roberto Martinez, Graeme Jones and Joe Royle watching on from the stands of the Merseyrail Stadium, Henen fired home early to give the home side the lead.

Kenny doubled the lead with a header in the 14th minute after Everton had seen two more efforts cleared off the line by Southamton before Galloway glanced home Ryan Ledson's cross to make it 3-0 with less than half an hour gone.

Courtney Duffus would have a goal ruled out just before half time as well as David Unsworth's side remained in the ascendency.

Everton: Griffiths, Jones, Connolly, Galloway, Ledson, Williams (Dyson 83'), Junior, Dowell (Walsh 66'), C Duffus (Charsley 75'), Henen
Subs: Hewelt, Langton, Charsley

Reader Comments (19)

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Colin Williams
1 Posted 09/02/2015 at 21:31:28

One of the best group of U21s in country... donÂ’t feck this up, Martinez!!

DonÂ’t leave them to rot in Ressies forever.

Sue Brown
2 Posted 09/02/2015 at 21:46:55

Great result from the lads, Galloway apparently MotM.

Agree Colin, we have some of the best youngsters coming through who could show the first team a thing or two on playing to win! I see Ledson got his obligatory yellow again, can just see him and Besic dominating the midfield in future.

Gavin Johnson
3 Posted 09/02/2015 at 22:05:12

Ledson and Galloway will surely be sniffing around the first team squad, come summertime. Dowell and Kenny also have huge potential. Does anyone know how Henen's been playing? I've noticed he's scored in a couple of games and found a few assists.

Notice Junior was in the line-up. It doesn't look like he impressed enough on his trial at Celtic recently.

Sam Hoare
4 Posted 09/02/2015 at 22:27:07

From the sounds of it we might have racked up a cricket score in this one. Encouraging stuff and hopefully a few will be able to step up next season. Sounds like Henen is doing well and perhaps will move here permanently.

Phill Thompson
5 Posted 09/02/2015 at 22:39:39

These games are all over the place, nothing for ages now another game on Wednesday, and that looked to be just about our best team tonight. Expecting most of them to perform again at Goodison in 2 days time is a big ask for youngsters .

David Moyes was on Radio 5L tonight highlighting the difference having a B team playing in Spanish 3rd division makes in helping to develop youngsters. Maybe the likes of Browning and Garbut will get a run out.

Ajay Gopal
6 Posted 10/02/2015 at 04:02:47

Maybe sending a few our youngsters like Galloway, Kenny, Henen out on loan for a year will help in their development. Why not to Real Sociedad??

Ciaran Duff
7 Posted 10/02/2015 at 08:14:36

We just signed an agreement with Central Coast Mariners. So, hopefully they'll be coming over to the A-league, Ajay.

Ian Jones
8 Posted 10/02/2015 at 08:27:12

I would like to see some of them getting a chance to play in the first team.

Difficult these days with the way football is going with pressure on league places and subsequent loss of income etc.

Some might not be good enough. However, it would be great to see them before they get loaned out and then subsequently moved on.

Sam Hoare
9 Posted 10/02/2015 at 09:16:24

Ajay, Real Sociedad are probably on a par with us or not far off so I wouldn't think too many of them would get starting spots there.

The Championship is the best place as the nearest imitation to the EPL and, if they can succeed there, like Coleman, then they will have proved themselves ready. We already have a number out on loan at various places with Pennington doing well at Coventry and McAleny impressing on his debut for Cardiff apparently.

I am surprised that Browning has not gone on loan to a Championship club but perhaps Martinez thinks he may be needed here give Sylvain's fall from grace.

Dave Abrahams
10 Posted 10/02/2015 at 09:58:10

One of these players has great skill and touch but he is so lazy and shuns tackling, he makes Kevin Sheedy look robust. I have seen him a few times and he never ups his game off the ball, it seems that nobody is telling him this fault or, if they are, he isn't listening.

Andrew Ellams
11 Posted 10/02/2015 at 10:12:34

Ciaran, I caught some of the Mariners v Adelaide game at the weekend. I haven't seen much of the A-League but it definitely looked as though the youngsters would gain more playing there than in a fairly uncompetitive U21 competition. The Mariners showed some heart turning that one around too.

Kieran Fitzgerald
12 Posted 10/02/2015 at 10:08:09

There had been some hope and expectation last summer that some of these players were going to come through this season. With the exception of Garbutt getting a couple of games and Browning getting a couple of minutes here and there in league games, it hasn't really happened.

I think that Martinez's hand may be forced between now and the end of the summer in terms of the younger players. If we are going to be nothing more than mid-table come the start of April, then he may start playing them. A clear out is due in the summer: Hibbert's age is against him, Distin's contract is ending, Osman's bad muscle injury may end his career, Pienaar's age and injuries may call time on his Everton career. That's four players, two defenders and two midfielders that will need replacing.

Other players, such as Baines, Coleman, McCarthy and Mirallas may be poached or look to go. (Baines may be a bit of a stretch but it's possible.)

A new stadium to be saved up for... ٧m going to Chelsea as part of the Lukaku deal and there may not be a lot left for transfers.

This Under 21 squad has been highly rated for years and may just be the answer to all of the above.

Andrew Ellams
13 Posted 10/02/2015 at 10:32:35

I think some of the more promising players in the youth setup are still young even at that level. You very rarely see players the age of Galloway or Ledson come though into 1st team football in the positions they play. Next season is still probably a year too early so surely loan deals are the way to go.

Harold Matthews
14 Posted 10/02/2015 at 13:18:34

Dave. You described Conor Grant but he wasn't playing. Guess it must be Dowell or Duffus.

Gavin Johnson
15 Posted 10/02/2015 at 13:40:21

Hasn't Conor Grant gone to Motherwell? He seems to have have lost his way a little bit. I know he's had some injuries but he definitely needs stint in a more competitive environment like the SPL.

Paul Thompson
16 Posted 10/02/2015 at 15:13:19

OS says that Conor Grant is on loan, but doesn't say where.

Just watched the goals Â– Henen's showed a real burst of pace and cool finish.

Dave Abrahams
17 Posted 10/02/2015 at 15:56:43

Harold, you have obviously seen these lads and I appreciate they are only young but, if they are not told their faults, how are they going to learn.

Barry Pearce
18 Posted 10/02/2015 at 17:34:54

I think JonJoe Kenny will make our first team squad next season. I think he's the real deal.

James Joseph
19 Posted 10/02/2015 at 19:03:11

I agree Barry but I suspect Galloway will beat him to it.

I think Dave's referring to Dowell while Grant is on loan at Motherwell, having been encouraged to go there by a former Motherwell player, Roberto Martinez.

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