Season › 2012-13 › News Blues win first runout of preseason Michael Kenrick , 14 July, 44comments | Jump to most recent Morecambe 1 - 4 Everton Everton make a short trip up the Lancashire coast to Morecambe on Saturday, where they will play League Two side in the first pre-season game, a testimonial for Jim Bentley. Kick-off is at 2pm and the match is all-ticket, with Everton's allocation being sold out. The Everton line-up will likely be short a few stars, with international players and others still on extended summer leave, despite the rest of the squad having gone through David Moyes's infamous pre-season bootcamp in Austria. In addition to providing a runout for a portion of the Everton squad, it will also serve as a testimonial for lifelong Evertonian, Bentley who has been manager of The Shrimps since last year. The quartet of young England stars, Ross Barkley, Luke Garbutt, Hallam Hope and John Lundstram would not play a part as they have been away in Estonia. So barely half with Premier League experience, the remaining players in the Everton squad still absent... and the kick-off was delayed until 2:15pm because of traffic issues. Match Summary Jim Bentley shook hands with Everton skipper Leon Osman before he kicked off his final ever game in a Morecambe shirt. After just 7 mins, Everton took the lead through a great 25-yard shot from Francisco Junior. Morecambe were furious though, as Vellios was in an offside position right in front of goalkeeper Roche but the linesman gave the goal. Apostollos Vellios made it 2-0 for the visitors before the break. Wright gave the ball away on half-way line and Leon Osman broke to play in Vellios who slid the ball under Barry Roche in the Morecambe goal. Rodwell made it 3-0 after an error by Haining, with a lovely cute finish lifting the ball over the keeper after being played in by Osman. After half-time Conor McAleny and Tony Hibbert replaced Sam Kelly and Leon Osman. Morecambe made six changes to their midfield and forward line, with the back four remaining the same. Roche had to be at his best to turn away Victor Anichibe's low free kick and then tip a header over the bar from the resulting corner. After the hour mark, Tyias Browning came on for Sylvain Distin, with Hibbert moving to centre-half. Anichebe then makes it 4-0 to Everton with a fine low drive from outside the box that beats Roche low down to his right. As the game wound down, Jim Bentley came on for the last few minutes in his final game in a Morecambe shirt. A lifelong Blue, he received a warm welcome. Bentley was then announced as Man of the Match, let through on goal and his shot is saved, much to everyone's confusion... Then he scores! Everton 'keeper Taudal hadn't read the script properly, but eventually lets the main man have his moment. Team Lineups: Morecambe: Roche, Parrish, Threlfall, McGee, [Bentley]McCready, Haining, Fleming, Wright, Alessandra, Redshaw, Ellison Everton: Taudal, Rodwell, Distin (62' Browning), Osman (46' Hibbert), Coleman, Vellios, Anichebe, Duffy, Kelly (46' McAleny), Bidwell. Subs: Neville, Forrester. The attendance at Morecambe has been confirmed as 4,223 — with the travelling Toffees accounting for an impressive 2,060. Everton are promising to have highlights of the game available online after 9pm tonight — but only for those who have ordered the six-game pre-season package at EvertonTV. Quotes or other material sourced from ToffeeWeb Match Report Reader Comments (44) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Michael Betschart 1 Posted 14/07/2012 at 10:27:40 Is there any possibility to watch this game? Seamus Murphy 2 Posted 14/07/2012 at 10:57:50 Is it on EvertonTV? Terry Davies 3 Posted 14/07/2012 at 14:38:12 Can I get EvertonTV on a television or is it just through the net? Noel Early 4 Posted 14/07/2012 at 15:00:34 Jimmy, Arsenal play Barnet every year in pre season; it's the first game... chill out lad. COYB Andrew McLean 5 Posted 14/07/2012 at 15:02:42 "Here we are playing a League 2 side......When will he ever learn, we just keep doing the same mistake every pre-season, if we are ever to get off to a good start then the matching needs to be a hell of a lot better then Morecambe."It's a testimonial match, lighten up. Berry McWilliam 6 Posted 14/07/2012 at 15:20:16 Jimmy, have a look at the team sheet — do we have anyone there worthy of playing a decent team? Jimmy Sørheim 7 Posted 14/07/2012 at 15:24:51 Look at the fixture list for each pre-season, we are hardly testing ourselves against PL quality opposition!!! The theme in every pre-season since I can remember has been the same, we play lower shit sides and start the season badly each year.How can anyone defend that? Moyes never gets it, the training part is good but the opposition is bad or even dreadful. James Flynn 8 Posted 14/07/2012 at 15:37:32 Why this notion that we need to play better teams pre-season? So we can watch more famous players try not to get themselves injuried? The real work is done in training, not in these meaningless games. Doesn't matter if the games are on TV and there's fans in the seats. It's practice, nothing more.Everton can play the Toffeeweb Select XI pre-season for all it matters to me. The 1st game against ManU is the only one I care about. And let's get there without anyone injured in one of these games. Kieran Fitzgerald 9 Posted 14/07/2012 at 15:54:20 James, absolutely agree. The opposition doesn't matter. These games are simply about giving players a run out in a match type environment. Maybe try a new formation or tactic. Fair enough, if you're someone like Man Utd, you can add that playing pre-season friendlies in Asia is also a merchandising exercise.These games are meaningless otherwise. Drew O'Neall 10 Posted 14/07/2012 at 16:18:35 Have to agree with Jimmy on this one.Our players seem to be more of the 'don't want to come last' than the 'want to be champions' mentality in that they only seem to start playing once we've had a few good thrashings and have remembered how tough it is to pick up points in the Prem.Why not start the thrashings in pre-season and embarass some of these blokes in to action before the campaign begins. Even if you dont agree with my logic you have to admit we have a load of soft friendlies every year and it hasn't worked yet. Michael Kenrick 11 Posted 14/07/2012 at 16:30:27 Shit... by this standard, we musta played some really hot opposition back in pre-season 2004... Mark Lennon 12 Posted 14/07/2012 at 16:28:50 Yes, it's always exciting to play in these big pre-season friendlies... I still remember the tournament at Goodison when Shearer did his knee and Ajax where in town. But I believe you only get invited in these things if you have the credentials, ie, we had just won the FA Cup the season before that tournament. I think the likes of Galatasaray, maybe Celtic and Malaga (all qualified for the Champions League) could prove testing opposition. I think we all need to calm down here, it's still very early! Danny Kewley 13 Posted 14/07/2012 at 16:21:06 Like a couple have said it was just a run about today for the lads. The main reason it was Morcambe was for a testimonial for their manager, Jimmy Bentley if I remember rightly – a lifelong Everton fan whose dad played for us – so I hope it was a good crack for all. Keith Glazzard 14 Posted 14/07/2012 at 16:42:02 Oddly enough, Michael, I was just wondering that one myself. Our best Moyes season. Did we do anything different that year (when did Espanyol come to GP?) or was it Tranmere and a few injuries as usual?Today's outing was a nice favour for Morecambe, and maybe it helps to get the wheels in motion again after the break. But I can't really see how it adds to the team-building ready to take on MU and the rest of the Prem.Unless – and this is a very big unless – someone like Junior actually makes his mark and we get a real addition to the squad. We've had false dawns before – Baxter, maybe even Barkley, who knows? – but a boost to the skill level on our right side would be very welcome. Jack Molloy 15 Posted 14/07/2012 at 16:43:42 Relax! Only four of these players are likely to feature regularly next season - five if you count Anichebe, which I don't. And the Arsenal game against "top European club" Anderlecht was only 45 minutes. You should wait until the season starts to slam Moyes for his preparation. Jamie Barlow 16 Posted 14/07/2012 at 16:59:32 We played the mighty Zeleznik, Crewe, Burnley, Pachuca, America (Mexican), Sheffield Wed and Real Sociedad in the 2004-05 season. Joe McParland 17 Posted 14/07/2012 at 17:08:25 Mick Davies@ 935 I think if you check we ARE going on a short tour of Scotland, NEXT WEEK!!! We play Dundee Utd who have qualified for the Europa League followed by Motherwell who have qualified for the Champions League (Qualifiers). Peter Thistle 18 Posted 14/07/2012 at 18:08:36 Just saw the highlights on Sky Sports News. Some decent goals. Nice to see Junior getting a game, scored a goodun too. Hopefully will see something of him this season.BTW the kit doesn't look that bad when they are running around in it. The socks tho are still annoying in blue. Ged Simpson 19 Posted 14/07/2012 at 18:20:46 Jess on the wine celebrating James Flynn 20 Posted 14/07/2012 at 19:53:11 Good fun. Played a 2nd Division side and treated them that way with our 2nd string. Just glad no one from the other team tried to "impress" and injure one of our fellows. Bob Willis 21 Posted 14/07/2012 at 21:18:02 It'scalled PR ffs! Mick Davies 22 Posted 14/07/2012 at 21:52:00 Joe McParland @ 956, I stand corrected on that one. Wish it was a full blown tour of all the top SPL clubs though. Back to todays game, and what have I always said about Hibbert, dreadful back pass that led to their goal Peter Cummings 23 Posted 14/07/2012 at 22:06:44 It may have been just a 'friendly' but our brilliant travelling support made it a fun day all round so any carping isn't justified, once the Pienaar saga is completed and our new signings i,e Jelli and Naismith itergrated into the lineup I for one think we can make a real impression in the EPL this season starting with a win v United John Crook 24 Posted 14/07/2012 at 22:40:49 I was at the match... but who the fuck was the keeper??? Alex Kociuba 25 Posted 14/07/2012 at 23:09:40 July 14th and the first blame-Hibbert of the season. Medal is in the post. Joe McParland 27 Posted 14/07/2012 at 23:37:07 Mick Davies @ 011 No worries Mick. In defence of Hibbert, I believe the backpass was deliberate to let a lifelong Evertonian in his testimonial have his moment of glory before retirement. Maybe Hibbo is hoping someone will do the same for him! Tom Bowers 28 Posted 14/07/2012 at 23:36:20 This was just a testimonial game, hence Osman captain and was done as a favour for their man Bentley. Everton's team reflected this and I guess the only notable thing was Rodwell's appearance. Hopefully he will play a lot more leading up to the season opener.The game was tame and the goals were crappy. Pity the lad didn't get a bigger turnout for his testimonial. Mark Riding 29 Posted 15/07/2012 at 00:31:45 Just paid up for the package, and enjoyed watching the highlights. Sounds a bit daft, but Rodwell looked 'bigger'...I love the fact that when watching in the first instance, you couldn't tell Hibbert passed the ball to their lad so he could score in his testimonial (imagine asking Distin to do it!).. and I also love the fact that the young goalie didn't know the script either and pulled off a cracking save at first! Keith Glazzard 30 Posted 15/07/2012 at 00:30:23 Hibbo 'back-pass'. What surprised me about that was his deft touch to put Bentley in. If he could do that in our attacking third we'd have to be turning down huge offers for him.And the keeper, whose name I have yet to register, did a great job to try to stop the set piece from happening. Sign that man on! Chris James 32 Posted 15/07/2012 at 09:34:56 So how do you actually get to see the highlights? Looks like another typical Everton marketing and PR fuck-up to me.On some stories (i.e. link from front page) it says highlights are free (then they don't work). Elsewhere it points you to make a purchase through the pre-season live games in order to get this (for which I think there's absolutely zero justification I'd add - this isn't a live game is it?)Then, after I had paid for a live match as instructed (I'm going to be away when most are on and not able to watch so the full package doesn't make sense), I still get pushed back to the same page saying I need to make a purchase.Does it mean you have to book the full £18.99 package just in order to see these highlights? If so that's:a) a ludicrous and unfair (these are highlights after all not live match and it's never been mentioned as part of the package previously) b) completely not what the instructions outline on the service itself and in effect I will have just been miss-soldThis to me is pretty symptomatic of the mismanagement that appears to be rife throughout the club when it comes to anything commercial. My son is barely 2 year's old but I believe would make a better stab at properly running and communicating this service. Sam Hoare 33 Posted 15/07/2012 at 09:47:52 Can anyone fill me in individual performances. How did Rodwell look? Coleman at RB? Heard that junior looked the best player on the park... Peter Stone 34 Posted 15/07/2012 at 10:55:44 You can watch the goals here: http://yfrog.com/mghtlz Chris James 35 Posted 15/07/2012 at 11:27:37 Ta Peter. The frustrating thing is that if Everton had put this up for 99p I'd have happily paid. Even if they'd used it as a way of gathering mails/interest to upsell later in the season this would have been smart.To ask for £18.99 as part of a 'live TV' package to see highlights is just bloody stupid. John Daley 36 Posted 15/07/2012 at 11:54:59 Of more note than the game was the constant barracking of the Morecambe right back. I thought their manager might bring the poor sod off at half time to save him from being subjected to any more renditions of "the right back is a virgin". James Stewart 37 Posted 15/07/2012 at 12:28:08 Not sure anything can be taken from playing this sort of opposition with that team. Kris Boner 38 Posted 15/07/2012 at 12:31:15 Looking at those highlights it seems pretty simple to say that Hibbo gave the testimonial goal to the guy for nothing. Wouldn't be caught like that in a real match methinks... Kris Boner 39 Posted 15/07/2012 at 12:34:05 Also anyone know about this Sam Kelly? Never heard anything about him... Sam Hoare 40 Posted 15/07/2012 at 15:26:38 Really hope Mick Davies at 011 is joking! Was so clearly a gift to the player-manager who's testimonial it was. James Flynn 41 Posted 15/07/2012 at 16:39:51 Funny hearing the fans booing our keeper for making the initial save. Mick Davies 42 Posted 16/07/2012 at 04:42:14 Obviously Sam, but Alex Kociuba's fish hook is in the post. Really didn't expect anyone to go for that. Like the look of Francisco Junior. Wonder when Utd will be coming for him? Lee Smith 43 Posted 16/07/2012 at 09:18:17 Their goal looked offside to me. I'm fuming here..... Ray Roche 44 Posted 16/07/2012 at 09:35:31 Kris Boner@106Sam Kelly was an actor who played the part of a German in 'Allo, 'Allo. Christ knows what he's doing at Morecambe. Mick Davies 45 Posted 16/07/2012 at 15:32:21 Ray Roche @233, his greatest character was the illiterate, witless Warren in Porridge. A bit like the EFC boardroom Sam Bull 46 Posted 16/07/2012 at 18:24:43 From what I have seen of the game (OWS Highlights) Francisco Junior looks a good player. His goal was a stunning strike. 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