FA Youth Cup

 PAGE CONTENTS

Day Date   Rnd  Ven Opponents                 Res     Scorers                   

Mon 10 Dec  3   (a) Southampton              W 2—0    Waring, Grant
Thu  7 Feb  4   (a) Port Vale        (aet)   W 3-2    Waring, Pennington, Long
Mon 17 Feb  5   (a) Arsenal                  W 4-2    Pennington, Long, Grant, Charsley 
Fri  5 Apr  6   (h) Norwich City             L 2-4    Long 2

A very cold night down on the south coast, the home side got the contest underway with the early exchanges between the two sides settling down. Matthew Kennedy, who has been in impressive form for the U21s, forced the first save of the game which was tipped over. But inside 60 seconds the Toffees were ahead with a goal from George Waring. It was good work from Conor Grant that set Waring through to hit the target.

Saints turned up the heat, searching for an equaliser, going close on 20 minutes as a couple of attempts from free kicks could not break down the Everton defence until a loose ball broke and a defender´s effort was cleared only for another shot to be blazed high over the Everton bar.

Mateusz Taudul showed some brave goalkeeping having to be alert to deny The Saints then responding minutes later saving a very good attempt from the edge of the area.

After half-time, the Southampton keeper needed lengthy treatment. Once the game got flowing again it was the Saints who thought they had got even after a free-kick rebounded out and a shot was touched home but the celebrations were short lived as the linesman's flag had been raised.

After surviving a spell of Saints pressure, the Blues doubled their advantage through Conor Grant. It was Kennedy that made the cross for Gethin Jones to head down for Conor Grant to finish inside the 6 yard box with 30 minutes remaining.

Saints introduced some fresh faces but Everton's defenders were showing some quality but, with 15 minutes left of the contest, Everton lost keeper Taudul through an injury giving an opportunity to Russell Griffiths.

The Saints looked for a way back with a header which rose over the frame of the goal then Griffiths was tested with a low shot from 20 yards. Kennedy had the last word for the visitors with a shot from the edge of the box that wasn´t too far away.

Everton's youngsters twice came from behind to rescue a dramatic FA Youth Cup 4th Round tie at Port Vale before going on to win the game 3-2 after extra time. The game finally took place over a month late after it was postponed three times as snow and freezing weather gripped England in January.

The Blues' U18s were trailing 1-0 heading into the final couple of minutes when George Waring popped up to score a dramatic equaliser that forced extra time.

The hosts regained the lead in the first period of extra time but were pegged back again when Matthew Pennington leveled the tie once more in the 103rd minute.

Everton then took the lead for the first time with five minutes to go in extra time when Chris Long netted and survived Vale hitting the crossbar at the death to secure a place in the fifth round at Arsenal.

Everton Under-18s scored a tremendous victory in the 5th Round of the FA Youth Cup, away at Arsenal. After falling behind early on, goals from Matthew Pennington, Chris Long, Conor Grant and Harry Charsley give the Blues victory at Underhill. Through to the Sixth Round of the FA Youth Cup, a home tie against either Norwich City awaits. Despite going behind to an early Chuba Akpom strike, goals from Matthew Pennington, Chris Long, Conor Grant and Harry Charsley helped the young Blues see off Arsenal's youth in magnificent fashion.

The home side began the game with confidence enjoying much of the early possession and broke the deadlock on 11 minutes, when Anthony Jeffrey whipped a dangerous cross in from the right touchline for Akpom to convert from inside the six-yard box.

The lead didn't last long and minutes later Matthew Kennedy, who was a constant thorn in Arsenal's side, forced a free-kick on the edge of Arsenal's area. Captain Tom Molyneux measured his delivery to perfection as Pennington, who scored in the fourth round victory at Port Vale, rose unchallenged to power his header in.

The away side took the lead in the opening moments of the second half when Long's deflected strike nestled in the top corner. Moments later, Long's cross from the right gave Arsenal's defence problems and Grant was on hand to scramble home Everton's third. Gnabry then hit the post for Arsenal as they tried to force their way back into the game before an Everton counter-attack which resulted in Pennington crossing from the right for Charsley to tap it in at the back post.

Arsenal managed a consolation with the goal of game from Gnabry but Kevin Sheedy's young side hung on to defeat the dispirited Gunners, who won the competition as recently as 2009.

Everton's under-18s crashed out of the FA Youth Cup in a 4-2 defeat to Norwich City.

A hat-trick from Carlton Morris and a late strike from Joshua Murphy denied Kevin Sheedy's young Blues side a place in the semi-finals as they bowed out in front of a 1,000-strong crowd at Goodison Park this evening, including manager David Moyes.

Matthew Kennedy had signalled the hosts' early intent as he sent a curling effort into the Park End stand, but it would be the Canaries who drew first blood as Morris sneaked in behind the Everton defence to prod home the opener from Murphy's cross.

Everton's response was gradual, as Chris Long's drilled effort forced a low stop from William Britt in the Norwich goal while Jonjoe Kenny headed over from close range, but not before Kennedy was out-muscled by Murphy but Mason Springthorpe did well to recover

Jacob Murphy, the striker's brother, should have extended the advantage but for a last-ditch challenge from Curtis Langton before Morris doubled the visitors' advantage as he sent the ball over an advancing Springthorpe and into an empty Gwladys Street net.

Long finally reduced the deficit barely a minute later as he fired home from a narrow angle before Harry Charsley flashed a shot wide of goal as the hosts continued their ascendancy. Any hope of a spirited fightback were dampened early in the second half when Morris pounced for his third after Springthrope had spilled Joshua Murphy's shot.

Everton's misery was further compounded when Ibou Touray was sent off with little over 25 minutes remaining for a studs-up challenge on Cameron Norman.

Long would pull the Toffees back into the game with his second of the match but Jacob Murphy would put the tie beyond doubt as he calmly fired past Springthorpe.

Conor Grant attempted to test Britt from distance but could only force a fumble as Norwich recorded a fouth victory over Everton out of five meetings between them in this competition.

Report from Click Liverpool