Everton under-21s slipped to an agonising defeat in last night’s mini-derby at Chester, as Harry Wilson’s late bolt from the blue sealed an unlikely late victory for the home side.
In a keenly-fought contest, the Reds, featuring returning French international Mamadou Sakho as on overage player, started the brighter of the two teams in a frantic opening period in which both sides sought to gain a foothold, and ultimately nullify the opposition’s attacking threat. Indeed, chances were few and far between, as a mistake from Browning allowed Reds’ captain Cameron Brannagan to fire against the woodwork, and with Russell Griffiths beaten, Jerome Sinclair fired the rebound over.
Everton, however, defended resolutely in the face of the home side’s pressure, as the imperious Brendan Galloway and Tyias Browning combined to thwart pacy youth international Sinclair on several occasions, yet also remained a threat on the break due to the movement and trickery of George Green and David Henen. All in all, Liverpool would probably have been the happier of the two sides, despite going in level at the break.
The second period started in much the same way as the first, as Liverpool probed for an opener. Everton’s high-intensity pressing game meant that space was very much at a premium, although Griffiths once again had to be alert to deny the lively Brannagan, whilst England youth international Jack Dunn whistled a dangerous effort past the post as Everton failed to clear a routine cross into the box.
Up to this point, the game had lacked the bite of some of its predecessors, but Jordan Williams, who has featured regularly on Brendan Rogers’ first-team bench this season, was perhaps lucky to escape with just a yellow after he scythed down Francisco Junior with just over an hour on the clock. A 10-man melee followed, with Williams and Henen booked for their part in the altercation.
However, this sense of injustice seemed to spur Everton on, and 17-year old England international duo, Ryan Ledson and Liam Walsh, started to dictate play from the centre of midfield. The Blues were rewarded for their new-found ambition, and grabbed the lead on 70 minutes, as Gethin Jones broke free down the right, picked out Ledson on the edge of the edge of the area,with the latter curling a wonderful shot over the despairing dive of Vigouroux in the Liverpool goal.
The home side almost found an instant response, as the highly-rated Sinclair placed an effort just wide from the edge of the area. But they weren’t to be denied for long- just 4 minutes later, Harry Wilson’s inswinging free-kick from the left was inexplicably knocked back across goal by Browning and Dan Clearly nodded in from all of two yards. It was a crushing blow for the young Blues, who had worked so hard to gain their slender advantage.
Both sides pressed for a late winner, yet the introduction of starlet Kieran Dowell gave Everton the upper-hand going into the final 10 minutes. First the Aughton-born midfielder excellently slalomed his way through Liverpool defence, drawing a fine save from the Liverpool ‘keeper, then Galloway’s strong run out of defence presented Henen with a wonderful opportunity to settle proceedings, only for Vigouroux to superbly parry his left-footed effort to safety.
And so, perhaps typically, with Everton pressing and 93 minutes on the clock, Wilson easily evaded the tired challenge of Callum Connolly, firing a pearler from 25 yards into the top corner of the Everton net to give Liverpool a full share of the spoils. The final whistle sounded not long after, heralding a cruel defeat for David Unsworth’s charges. On the balance of play, a draw would probably have been a fair reflection of their evening’s work, yet the Blues can draw solace from the fact that Galloway- who already seems close to the standard required for first-team football- and the likes of Ledson, Walsh and Henen performed so well in front of the watching senior cohort of Roberto Martinez, Duncan Ferguson and Graeme Jones. The future is still bright, the future’s Blue….
Ratings: Griffiths 6, Kenny 6, Galloway 7, Browning 5, Connolly 5, Jones 6, Ledson 7, Walsh 7, Junior 5, Green 6, Henen 6. Subs- Dowell 7, Donohue 5
