Season 2020-21

Everton Under-23s, 2020-21

[History of Everton Reserves]

Everton's Under-23s largely represent the end product of the renowned Everton Academy at Finch Farm which has produced a number of players now on the threshold of breaking into the Blues' first team. As of 2016, they play in the FA Premier League 2 as one of 12 teams in Division 1.

As well as the U23s competing in the Premier League Cup and the Premier League International Cup, Everton are also one of the Premier League Development sides that enter U21 teams into the Leasing.com (ne EFL) Trophy alongside the senior sides from Football League One and League Two.

· Results & Fixtures	A record of Everton's Under-23 matches for the season
· League Table	Current standings in Premier League 2
· Match Details	Teamsheets and brief reports for each match
· Appearances	A table of Under-23 appearances for all senior players
· Friendlies	Results from Under-23 friendly matches

Everton Under-23s will split their home matches between the newly renamed 'Pure' Stadium at Haig Avenue in Southport and Goodison Park this season, with some games also being played at Finch Farm. 

Everton's games in the 2020-21 Liverpool Senior Cup  and Lancashire Senior Cup were contested by the Under-18s, together with the FA Youth Cup too.

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FIXTURES AND RESULTS, 2020-21

	Under-23 Competitive Games				All KOs are UK time
	Date	Opponent	Result		Scorers	Venue	Comp

	U23 Pre-Season Friendlies				All KOs are UK time
	Date	Opponent	Result		Scorers	Venue	Notes

F)denotes Friendly fixture
TF denotes Friendly tournament fixture
XI denotes Friendly fixture involving an Everton XI (not necessarily the first team)
PL2 denotes Premier League 2 fixtures
PLC denotes Premier League Cup fixtures
PLIC denotes Premier League International Cup fixtures
LT denotes EFL Trophy fixtures

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FA PREMIER LEAGUE 2, Division 1, 2020-21

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

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Under-23 Match Details, 2020-21

The section below contains team details, scorers, and brief match reports for Everton Under-23 matches during the 2020-21 Season.

FA Premier League 2, Division 1

Starting in 2017-18, the U21 Premier League (which itself replaced the old Reserves league that stretched back to an age that pre-dated the formation of the Football League in 1888) was renamed Premier League 2 formed of 24 Category 1 Development teams from top-tier Premier League and Championship clubs. It operates on the same two-division format of 12 teams each but the age limit was raised to 23.

Each team can field a goalkeeper over the age limit and up to three ‘over-age’ outfield players in every match.

2020-21 Format

Division 1	Division 2
Arsenal	Aston Villa
Chelsea	Blackburn Rovers
Derby County	Brighton & Hove Albion
Everton	Fulham
Leicester City	Middlesbrough
Manchester City	Newcastle United
Manchester United	Norwich City
Liverpool	Swansea City
Reading	Stoke City
Sunderland	Watford
Southampton	West Bromwich Albion
Tottenham Hotspur	Wolverhampton Wanderers

Clubs play each other once at home and once away, with the top team in Division 1 named as Champions. The bottom two teams in Division 1 get relegated to Division 2. In Division 2, the league winners get automatic promotion to Division 1; teams ranked 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th go into a promotion play-off. There is no relegation from Division 2.

The Average Age of PL2 squads this season, as listed at Transfermarkt were:

Club	Squad	Average	Foreign
Brighton & Hove Albion U23
Newcastle United U23
Leicester City U23
Blackburn Rovers U23
Derby County U23
Stoke City U23
Sunderland AFC U23
West Ham United U23
Southampton FC U23
Reading FC U23
Swansea City U23
Middlesbrough FC U23
Manchester United U23
Norwich City U23
Everton FC U23
Fulham FC U23
Liverpool FC U23
West Bromwich Albion U23
Arsenal FC U23
Aston Villa U23
Manchester City U23
Wolverhampton Wanderers U23
Tottenham Hotspur U23
Chelsea FC U23

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Everton 0 - 0 Opponent

Premier League 2; Game #1
Monday 12 August 2019
Haig Avenue, Southport

Details

 

 

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Premier League International Cup, 2020-21

2014-15 saw the introduction of The Premier League International Cup —  with invited European sides competing in a four-group tournament. 2020-21, the 5th season of the Premier League's continental competition for development teams, Everton entered an U23 side into the Premier League International Cup, in a tournament that was won last season by Villarreal.

The format of the International Cup sees 24 clubs - 12 from England & Wales and the other half from Europe - competing in six groups of four teams with each side playing each other once, either home, away or at a neutral venue, with all games to be staged in England. There are two representatives from Europe and two from England & Wales in every group, with the top club in each plus the two best placed runners-up advancing to the knockout stages of the competition. 

The 2020-21 Premier League International Cup group draw in full is as follows:-

The Premier League International Cup permits three over-aged players in addition to an over-aged goalkeeper.  All fixtures in the competition will be played in England, with the group games to be completed by Monday 13 January 2020.

Everton 1 - 1 Opponent

Premier League International Cup; Group D, Game #1
Wednesday 30 October 2019
Haig Avenue, Southport

Details

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Premier League Cup, 2020-21

As well as their involvement in the Premier League 2 and the Premier League International Cup, the U23 side are competing in the Premier League Cup which will be changing its format for 2020-21. The competition will be in a ‘Champions League’ style with a full home and away group stage followed by a Round of 16 knockout for the teams that progress through the groups.   Everton U23s were drawn against Fulham, Plymouth Argyle and Watford in Group B of the Premier League Cup for 2020-21.

Fulham 2 - 1 Everton

Premier League Cup; Group B, Game #1
Sunday 6 October 2019
Motspur Park, London

To round out a dreadful weekend for the club at all upper levels, Everton Under-23s began their defence of the Premier League Cup with a narrow 2-1 defeat at Fulham on Sunday.

Kyle John levelled for the young Blues in the second half but the Londoners' late winner inflicted a first defeat of the campaign on David Unsworth's team.

At the Cottagers' Motspur Park training base, Everton had the game's opening chance as early as the second minute. Anthony Gordon, deployed on the right, won a corner and Ryan Astley powered a header over the bar. Fulham hit back — Nico Hansen's palms stung by a rasping drive from Ben Davis — as both sides used the early exchanges to prod and probe for openings.

As the half wore on, and with Fulham's rearguard proving its worth, Everton tried their luck from long range, but the home keeper saved comfortably from Beni Baningime and then Gordon. However, it was the hosts who broke the deadlock on 36 minutes as Luca de la Torre fired home from close range.

At the break, Unsworth introduced Kyle John and Manasse Mampala — in place of Dennis Adeniran and Ellis Simms respectively — and the change inspired a much-improved showing from the young Blues.

Indeed, the latter had barely entered the field of play before he fed Matty Foulds down the left and when he crossed for Gordon, hands were on heads as the 18-year-old steered over the bar.

However, Gordon was unperturbed. On the hour, he won a free-kick 25 yards from goal. Taking it himself, the youngster came within a whisker of drawing Everton level, smacking the crossbar with the keeper well beaten. Another dipping effort from a set-piece had him scrambling to tip the ball over, but the Toffees finally drew level on 66 minutes. Mampala squared the ball from the left and John tucked home from a few yards out.

But Fulham snatched victory against the run of play. On 78 minutes, Jaydon Harris was left unmarked and he finished emphatically past Hansen. Defeat then for Everton, but there is plenty of time to rebuild with five more group stage fixtures to come.

Everton U23s: Hansen, Astley (84' Denny), Foulds, Adeniran (46' Mampala), Feeney, Gibson, Gordon, Baningime [Y], Simms (46' John), Markelo, Charsley.
Subs not Used: Tyrer, Joe Anderson.

Everton 1 - 1 Plymouth Argyle

Premier League Cup; Group B, Game #2
Sunday 10 November 2019
Haig Avenue, Southport

The Everton U23s played out a 1-1 draw with Plymouth Argyle in the Premier League Cup at Southport this afternoon.

After 15 mins, Adeniran powered his way to the by-line and cut the ball back to Niasse whose shot landed at the feet of Charsley and he tapped it past the keeper.

But Argyle came back into it with a penalty at half-time after a foul by Foulds.

Everton U23s: Tyrer, Astley, Foulds, Baningime, Feeney (c), Gibson, Adeniran, Onyango (45' Simms), Niasse, Markelo, Charsley (74' John).
Subs not Used: Hansen, Denny, Iversen.

Everton 3 - 0 Watford

Premier League Cup; Group B, Game #3
Monday 2 December 2019
Haig Avenue, Southport

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.

Everton 4 - 2 Fulham

Premier League Cup; Group B, Game #4
Monday 17 January 2020
Haig Avenue, Southport

Everton Under-23s held off a late challenge from Fulham in a top-of-the-group Premier League Cup clash at Southport to grab a victory that takes them top of Group B.

The cup holders leapfrogged the Cottagers in the table thanks to a 4-2 victory secured with the help of two goals from Dennis Adeniran. A Zico Asare own goal had set the Blues on their way when he turned Kyle John's cross past his own goalkeeper but the visitors equalised in short order.

However, Adeniran restored Everton's advantage when he converted Antony Evans's square pass before Evans himself hit the post with a free-kick shortly before half-time. Adeniran made it 3-1 with a fine finish in the second half.

With Lewis Gibson and Anthony Gordon not named in the squad, David Unsworth had new signing Jarrad Branthwaite in defence alongside Morgan Feeney but, despite having a good overall game, it was the former who marred his debut by conceding the penalty from which Fulham pulled one back again through Taylor-Crossdale.

Everton killed the tie late on, however, when Manassé Mampala struck to complete the scoring at 4-2.

Everton U23s: Virginia, John, Foulds, Feeney, Ouzounidis (46' Iversen (62' Denny)), Branthwaite, Adeniran, Baningime, Simms, Markelo [Y] (46' Mampala), Evans.
Subs not Used: Tyrer, Joe Anderson.

Plymouth Argyle 0 - 4 Everton

Premier League Cup; Group B, Game #5
Monday 10 February 2020
Home Park, Plymouth

Everton spurned an excellent opportunity to take the lead in the 20th minute. A super pass by Beni Baningime released Denis Adeniran on the right and when he pulled the ball back across goal for Simms, the striker was tripped. The referee pointed instantly to the spot but Adeniran’s kick was well saved.

Fortunately, it took Adeniran just three minutes to make amends when he attacked the right-hand side of the Argyle penalty area before drilling a fine finish past the keeper.

The second goal came on 37 minutes. Nathangelo Markelo powered forward from midfield, leaving three Argyle defenders in his wake. When he was finally stopped, the loose ball was squared across the box by Kyle John for Simms to poke into the net.

The third goal came with the very last touch of the first period. Adeniran swung a corner into the Plymouth box and Astley glanced his header into the corner of the net.

Simms scored his second, and Everton’s fourth, in the 63rd minute. Matthew Foulds floated a lovely cross towards the far post and Simms had the simplest of tasks to nod the ball into the net.

John was unfortunate not to be on the scoresheet and Simms was fractions away from netting his third. The striker is on 10 goals for the season and it could have been 11 in the last minute when his effort hit the crossbar.

Everton U23s: Tyrer, Astley, Foulds, Markelo (70' Onyango), Ouzounidis, Branthwaite, John, Baningime (69' Denny), Simms, Iversen, Adeniran (67' Quirk).
Subs not Used: Hansen, Joe Anderson.

Watford 0 - 1 Everton

Premier League Cup; Group B, Game #6
Friday 21 February 2020
Clarence Park, St Albans

Everton U23s came away from Watford with all the spoils thanks to a last-minute winner from Ellis Simms in their final group game of this season's Premier League Cup.

The Blues were already assured a place in the last-16 of a competition they won last season.

In the dying moments of a close game, Liam Higgins, appearing for the first time at this level, who had replaced Seb Quirk on 72 mins, found Simms with a very smart pass and, as usual, he provided an unerring finish for his 12th goal of the season.

Prior to that moment of quality, the game appeared to be heading for a goalless draw. Tyler Onyango was denied early on – the keeper diving bravely to stop the young midfielder’s effort after an excellent free-kick delivery from Rhys Hughes.

Hughes wasn’t too far away himself on 38 minutes when he created some space on the edge of the box and curled his shot just wide. The same player could have scored a couple of minutes after the break but he didn’t strike his close-range effort cleanly enough and it was comfortably saved.

On 74 minutes, Manasse Mampala skipped past a couple of challenges only to see his final effort smothered by the keeper.

Everton U23s: Tyrer, John, Joe Anderson, Onyango, Astley, Ouzounidis, Mampala, Denny, Simms, Quirk [Y:57'] (72' Higgins), Hughes (63' Branthwaite).
Subs: Hansen, Dobbin, Jon Anderson.

Everton 2 - 1 Reading

Premier League Cup; Round 2
Sunday 8 March 2020
Haig Avenue, Southport

Everton's U23s completed another key step in the defence of their Premier League Cup title, despatching Reading after a 2-1 win in Southport on Monday evening Sunday afternoon.

Everton were ahead inside 6 minutes, as Ellis Simms stole in to head home a Matty Foulds corner at the near post.

Dennis Adeniran opened up a two-goal margin for Everton with just 11 minutes gone — Einar Iversen scampered down the left and delivered low, and Adeniran looped his effort past the oncoming keeper into the Royals net.

Reading did pull a goal back late-on, but the Blues had done enough to move on to the last 8 of the competition.

Everton U23s: Tyrer, Astley, Foulds, Markelo, Ouzounidis, Branthwaite, John (93' Onyango), Baningime, Simms (51' Mampala), Adeniran, Iversen (64' Dobbin).
Subs not Used: Leban, John Anderson.

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EFL Trophy, 2020-21

Everton U21s were drawn against Crewe Alexandra, Burton Albion and Mansfield Town in Group E of the EFL Trophy for 2020-21.

Mansfield Town 1 - 1 Everton U21s

EFL Trophy; Group E, Game #1
Tuesday 27 August 2019
Mill Field, Mansfield

An Everton U21 side opened their EFL Trophy campaign on Tuesday night with a bonus point against Mansfield Town after winning 4-1 on penalties. The match finished 1-1 at end of normal time after Anthony Gordon's wonder goal had given the Blues the lead at Mill Field.

Everton gave a very good account of themselves in the first half. The young Blues were confident in possession, and brought the ball out well from the back. There were chances for Charsley, Adeniran and Gordon before the latter netted a stunning solo effort just before the half-hour mark. Gordon jinked past three defenders, before curling a beauty into the far corner past Stone in goal.

Baningime was shown a second yellow card on 70 minutes for a late challenge on Sterling-James and Everton battled on with 10 men. Tyrer made several smart stops, reacting well to keep out a Sterling-James flick and getting down low at full stretch to keep out Smith after the break. But he could not keep out a smartly taken Sterling-James goal on 87 minutes.

Mansfield then piled on the pressure into seven minutes of injury time, but the game went to penalties. Both sides took a point from the normal time draw, with an extra point awarded to the shootout winners. And the Blues did it in style, taking it 4-1 with successful penalties from Evans, Foulds, Charsley and Markelo. Tyrer saved from Khan's spot-kick and Sterling-James blazed his effort over the bar, with Markelo sealing the shootout victory.

Everton U21s: Tyrer, Charsley, Baningime [Y:48'; YR:64'], Feeney (c), Foulds, Evans, Gordon, Denny (86' Astley), Markelo, John, Adeniran (68' Simms (88' Mampala)).
Subs not Used: McIntyre, Joe Anderson, Iversen, Carroll

Burton Albion 0 - 2 Everton U21s

EFL Trophy; Group E, Game #2
Tuesday 1 October 2019
Pirelli Stadium, Burton

Goals from Ellis Simms and Antony Evans earned the Blues an excellent Leasing.com Trophy win at Burton Albion.

Ellis Simms was on target early here with a smart low finish. Midfielder Evans struck Everton's second 14 minutes after half-time.

Everton's opener came after just six minutes. Anthony Gordon played in Simms and the striker kept his composure to slide in a cool finish past experienced former West Ham goalkeeper Stephen Bywater.

Everton continued to have the better of the opportunities against their League One opponents and Gordon's snapshot almost caught out Bywater, who did well to turn it around the post.

Just after the half-hour Everton should have doubled their advantage. Gordon wriggled free on the left of the box and when he squared the ball across the face of goal, Simms couldn't force it past Bywater from a couple of yards.

Simms tried to back-heel the rebound into the net but the home defence cleared for a corner from which Morgan Feeney's excellent glancing header was blocked.

The hosts had their moments, too, but Harry Tyrer was nice and safe in the Blues goal and never seriously tested in the opening period. Everton were very well organised and disciplined in their defending.

Home manager Nigel Clough clearly had strong words with his players at the break because Burton started the second half briskly. But, again, Everton were resolute and restricted their opponents to few opportunities. Nathangelo Markelo in the middle of the park was particularly eye-catching.

Everton's second goal came on 59 minutes. Harry Charsley's low shot was parried by Bywater and Evans was on hand to prod home his third goal in as many games.

This was an excellent win for Everton against a far more experienced side and Unsworth's team remain unbeaten this season. The Blues move top of Northern Group E with one fixture remaining, against Crewe Alexandra on 6 November.

Everton U21s: Tyrer, Astley, Gibson, Feeney, Foulds, Adeniran, Charsley, Markelo, Evans (75' Denny), Gordon (87' Mampala), Simms (83' Dobbin).
Subs not Used: Hansen, Joe Anderson, Iversen, Phillips.

Crewe Alexandra 2 - 2 Everton U21s

EFL Trophy; Group E, Game #3
Tuesday 5 November 2019
Alexandra Stadium, Crewe

Everton's Under-21s played out a 2-2 against Crewe this evening in the Leasing.com Trophy, booking their place in the next round.

Oumar Niasse struck twice, putting the Blues ahead on two occasions but it was a controversial equaliser that was originally flagged for offside but then given by the referee that ensured the tie finished all square.

Crewe won the ensuing penalty shootout 5-4, earning them the bonus point. For Everton, their overall record allowed them to scrape through to the next round among the best of the group runners-up.

Everton U21s: Tyrer, Astley, Feeney, Gibson, Foulds, Charsley (69' Simms), Markelo, Baningime [Y], Onyango (76' Joe Anderson), John (46' Denny [Y]), Niasse.
Subs not Used: Hansen, Dobbin, Iversen, Mampala.

Everton U21s 0 - 4 Fleetwood Town

EFL Trophy; Round 2
Tuesday 26 November 2019
Goodison Park, Merseyside

Everton Under-21s were beaten heavily by Fleetwood Town in the last 32 of the Leasing.com Trophy at Goodison Park tonight.

It was not by any means a good start for Unsworth's side. Danny Andrew put Fleetwood in front inside 2 mins with a superb volley from the edge of the area from a well-worked corner by the away side, with a lofted cross finding Andrew lurking with intent 18 yards out.

The full-back got over his volley and slammed it into the bottom corner - no chance for Harry Tyrer in the Everton goal.

Everton's evening got worse later in the first half when Beni Baningime received one kick too many and was forced off with an injury, to be replaced by Tyler Onyango.

Fleetwood went into the break a goal up and they doubled their lead with a quarter of an hour to go when Paul Coutts fired home from 20 yards and Paddy Madden made it 3-0 shortly afterwards.

Wes Burns heaped further misery on Unsworth's side with a fourth in the 87th minute, slotting home Lewie Coyle's pass.

Everton U21s: Tyrer, Astley, Gibson, Ouzounidis, Foulds, Adeniran, Baningime [Y:27'] (44' Onyango [Y:54'] (71' Charsley)), Markelo, Evans, Gordon (76' Simms), Niasse.
Subs not Used: Hansen, Denny, Mampala, Joe Anderson.

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Under-23 Appearances, 2020-21

Player	League Apps (Sub)	League Goals	Cup Apps (Sub)	Cup Goals
Matty Foulds	18 (0)	1	12 (0)	1
Nathangelo Markelo	16 (1)	0	12 (0)	0
Dennis Adeniran	14 (0)	2	8 (0)	3
Beni Baningime	13 (0)	0	9 (0)	0
Morgan Feeney	12 (0)	2	8 (0)	0
Antony Evans	12 (0)	4	6 (0)	4
Ellis Simms	11 (4)	8	9 (4)	3
Ryan Astley	11 (2)	0	10 (1)	1
Kyle John	11 (1)	0	7 (3)	1
Harry Tyrer	11 (0)	0	8 (0)	0
Anthony Gordon	9 (0)	6	5 (0)	1
Harry Charsley	8 (2)	1	7 (1)	1
Con Ouzounidis	7 (1)	0	6 (1)	0
Lewis Gibson	7 (0)	2	6 (0)	0
Alex Denny	5 (6)	1	3 (7)	0
Einar Iversen	5 (2)	0	3 (1)	0
Joe Anderson	5 (0)	0	2 (1)	0
Nicolas Hansen	4 (0)	0	3 (0)	0
Manassé Mampala	3 (9)	2	2 (6)	1
Tyler Onyango	3 (4)	0	4 (3)	0
Joao Virginia	3 (0)	0	2 (0)	0
Callum Connolly	3 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Seb Quirk	2 (2)	1	2 (1)	0
Jarrad Branthwaite	2 (0)	1	3 (1)	0
Fraser Hornby	2 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Cuco Martina	1 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Mackenzie Hunt	0 (2)	0	1 (1)	0
Lewis Dobbin	0 (1)	0	1 (2)	0
Kieran Phillips	0 (1)	0	0 (0)	0
Oumar Niasse	0 (0)	0	3 (0)	0
Rhys Hughes	0 (0)	0	1 (1)	0
Zan-Luk Luban	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Bobby Carroll	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Jack McIntyre	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Liam Higgins	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Jack Barrett	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Jon Anderson	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Michael Collins	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Jonjoe Kenny	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Kieran Dowell	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Korede Adedoyin	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Luke Garbutt	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Sandro Ramirez	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Nathan Broadhead	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0
Luke Garbutt	0 (0)	0	0 (0)	0

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2020-21 Friendlies

Everton U23 0 - 1 Swindon Town

Pre-season friendly; Game #1
Thursday 11 July 2019
Venue: La Manga

Morgan Feeney and Nathangelo Markelo both played as the Under-23s lost 1-0 to Swindon by a late goal scored 2 mins from the end of a competitive hard-fought game.  

Everton U23s: Hansen, John, Foulds, Denny, Feeney, Anderson, Hunt (46' Ouzounidis), Markelo, Simms (71' Phillips), Gordon (70' Mampala), Evans.

Everton U23 1 - 3 Morecambe

Pre-season friendly; Game #2
Saturday 20 July 2019
Finch Farm

To follow.  

Everton U23s:  .