U23s best Watford in Premier League Cup

Michael Kenrick Monday, 2 December, 2019 14comments | Jump to most recent

Everton U23s 3 - 0 Watford U23s

Antony Evans scored twice in Everton's 3-0 Premier League Cup victory over Watford at Southport on Monday night. Evans found the net in the second half with a fine header and a fantastic free-kick after Matthew Foulds had fired home the opener.

Neither side showed sufficient cutting edge in the final third to break through in a scrappy first half. Harry Charsley sent an early header over the bar from an Alex Denny cross and, just before the break, Ellis Simms was teed up nicely by Evans but the striker's angled drive was well saved

Everton goalkeeper Nico Hansen was largely untested at the other end until he had to smother a shot in first-half stoppage time.

Just 2 minutes after the restart, Everton took the lead. Evans made space on the right and fed the ball to Simms, whose first-time shot flashed across the face of the goal where Foulds slammed it into the net. The defender turned provider 6 minutes later when his cross from the left was expertly headed home by Evans.

The lively Foulds should have scored again on the hour mark but, after fine approach play from Evans and Simms, he pulled his effort wide of the target from 10 yards.

The third goal was the pick of the bunch — a real beauty. Evans was fouled 25-yards out and picked himself up to curl a wonderful direct free-kick over the wall and into the top corner of the net.

Watford had their moments but found Hansen in fine form. The young stopper made a string of fine saves and looked secure all evening.

Everton U23s: Hansen, Denny, Foulds, Joe Anderson, Astley, Ouzounidis, Iversen (82' Hunt), Evans, Simms, Markelo (65' Mampala), Charsley.
Subs not Used: Tyrer, Onyango.

Reader Comments (14)

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Phil Greenough
1 Posted 03/12/2019 at 11:24:54

An Everton team win, zero positive comments made since Monday. Any chance to put Everton down, by writing the same old, same old, please see any other thread.

Well done the under 23s!

Steve Ferns
2 Posted 03/12/2019 at 11:38:23

It seems Ellis Simms is finding the step up from u18s to u23s difficult. He is still yet to reproduce his proficiency in front of goal, which makes you doubt his ability to make the next step up. I hope the lad can get some goals and soon. We need something special up top and as we cannot sign a striker, we need a lottery win with someone like Simms or Dobbins coming through to the first team and scoring goals.

Brent Stephens
3 Posted 03/12/2019 at 11:44:22

Type or paste your comment here. PLEASE capitalise initial letters of proper names and use proper grammar. No txt-speak; all-lowercase posts are likely to be deleted

Brent Stephens
4 Posted 03/12/2019 at 11:48:16

Sorry, all thumbs today.

I was posting that, although there was no end product in terms of goals, I thought Simms looked a lot more effective last night. Won a lot of aerial and ground battles against the CB and laid off some good passes.

Antony Evans had an absolute stormer!

Steve Ferns
5 Posted 03/12/2019 at 11:57:20

I've always liked Evans Brent? What about yourself? My fear is that he's simply too old now. He's 21 now. Figure in that Hudson-Odoi is 19 and Sancho is 19 and both are established first players at top clubs and England internaitonals and I can't see him making it for Everton. I hope he can get a loan in January and take the Championship by storm and come back to Everton and show rapid improvement in Pre-season and somehow force his way in. Too far fetched though, I think.

Dave Williams
6 Posted 03/12/2019 at 12:09:59

Give Simms a chance Steve- Id expect him to take most of this season to get used to this level then kick on again. As for Evans he looks good to me and has the physique too. Some are late developers- Osman, Ian Wright, Vardy etc- we won't know unless we give him a chance?

Steve Ferns
7 Posted 03/12/2019 at 12:17:56

Dave, I'm very patient with the teenagers, and prefer them to stay in situ and develop.

Contrast him with his main cohort, Korede Adedoyin who made a ridiculous move to Hamilton academicals of the SPL on loan. I strongly criticised this and that of Joao Virginia. Both have been utter disasters. They've played 2.5 games between them, with Korede's 59 minutes coming in the Scottish Challenge Cup, whatever the hell that is. Ross County are Champions and Rangers only won it on their way back through the pyramid, so it's obviously a two bit trophy. Korede has not even made the first team bench yet. So, he's gone on loan from our u18s to their reserves, when the reality is he would have been playing for our u23s this season and it's worth noting that he's slightly older than Anthony Gordon.

Brent Stephens
8 Posted 03/12/2019 at 12:21:12

Steve, yes I posted last night that Evans' age might be against him, but as Dave #6 says, there are late-developers. Who knows? I have hopes like you!

Certainly age is on Simms' side.

Steve Ferns
9 Posted 03/12/2019 at 12:22:05

Brent, what was your take on Korede Adedoyin?

Brent Stephens
10 Posted 03/12/2019 at 12:27:39

Steve, I'm afraid I haven't really seen Adedoyin play. Just know that he had a good goal return per game at U18. On loan, so I hope to see more of him! Interesting info from you on his experience at Hamilton.

Steve Ferns
11 Posted 03/12/2019 at 12:32:41

I only saw him once in the flesh myself Brent. He played through the middle rather than on the wing as others like Dave A. said he usually played. He's very fast and had a lot about him. I was expecting big things and hoped Unsworth could get hold of him and polish him a bit before sending him to the first team.

Brent Stephens
12 Posted 03/12/2019 at 13:05:29

Steve #11 "I...hoped Unsworth could get hold of him and polish him."

Some polished items are none too pleasant, Steve!

Phill Thompson
13 Posted 03/12/2019 at 15:09:16

Steve, I agree that the Korede Adeydoyin move was poorly thought out, at 18 he was never going to walk into a SPL side. The experience will have toughened his mentality but hard to see him getting better coaching than with us. 1st year at u18 he was ahead of Simms, but last season Adeydoyin got left behind a bit despite scoring goals.
Personally I believe Simms is still the one most likely to come through, they are working on his game all the time.

Dave Williams
14 Posted 03/12/2019 at 16:50:34

Steve #7- agree with all of that!

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