Everton U23s held to a goalless draw

Monday, 22 October, 2018 19comments | Jump to last

Beni Baningime gets some game-time action for the first time this season

Everton U23s are a nose in front at the top of the PL2 table on goal difference, and retained that advantage with hard-earned point against 2nd-place Arsenal.

With a number of first-team players now dropped from the senior squad — Niasse, Schneiderlin, Kenny, Holgate, Dowell — plus two key players nearing full fitness again in McCarthy and Baningime, the only one to show was Beni Baningime, slotting into the back four.

The game kicked off at 7 pm in Meadow Park, Barnet, with Jaoa Virginia named in goal to visit the club he left to join Everton in the summer.

Everton were denied a clear stonewall penalty early on when Bassala Sambou was sent spiralling, then Adeniran saw a certain goal hooked off the line by an Arsenal defender as the Blues sought to press their initiative.

Lewis Gibson, who is only recently back from a long injury layoff, looked to be in a bad way as he was stretchered off the field after 38 mins, to be replaced by Anthony Gordon.

Everton had a two vs two breakaway but Sambou ran into an offside position when Broadhead slipped the ball towards him. It was 0-0 at the break.

On the hour, Tyias Browning fired a free-kick at the Arsenal goal from inside his own half when he spotted the keeper off his line. The effort was on target but the keeper back-tracked quickly enough to get there just in time!

With Arsenal increasingly turning the screw deep into the second half, David Unsworth made a change: Nathangelo Markelo replaced by Shane Lavery for the final 15 mins.

In a rare Everton foray, Broadhead almost slid the ball home but Arsenal scrambled it clear. The fiercely competitive game ended 0-0 with honours even, and Everton still top on goal difference.

Everton U23s: Virginia, John, Gibson (38' Gordon), Baningime, Browning, Feeney (c), Charsley, Adeniran, Sambou, Markelo (73' Lavery), Broadhead.
Subs: Hilton, Kiersey, Astley.

Reader Comments (19)

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Dave Abrahams
1 Posted 22/10/2018 at 12:56:22

I don't know if it is being shown anywhere, I know it won't be on in Ned Kelly's – that's where I'll be. I hope we keep our good form up in Premier League 2 – maybe give Niasse a game with Fraser Hornby out injured.

Michael Kenrick
2 Posted 22/10/2018 at 16:04:25

This link at the Arsenal website says "News & Video" but I'm not convinced:

Arsenal U23s vs Everton U23s

And there's no hint on the Everton website, of course, even with the old promise that Members could access such delights through the Exclusive Membership Area — a link which still doesn't work... or has my membership been suspended!

Michael Kenrick
3 Posted 22/10/2018 at 19:25:56

The live blog is up at the Everton Website:

Live: Under-23s Taking On Arsenal

Mike Jones
4 Posted 22/10/2018 at 21:16:20

I don't fancy watching the live bog, Michael.

Michael Kenrick
5 Posted 22/10/2018 at 21:18:08

Haha! It must have put a lot of people off. Zero interest in this game. Is there somat good on telly tonight?

David Pearl
6 Posted 22/10/2018 at 21:27:30

Good to see Beni getting some time but I don’t know why some fringe players don’t get what could be some much needed match sharpness. Looking forward to Sunday.

Mike Jones
7 Posted 22/10/2018 at 21:32:52

What was the final score?

James Flynn
8 Posted 22/10/2018 at 22:06:09

I followed the Blog Michael posted. Looks like we had some chances. Unsy seemed upset we didn't get the 3 points and that the ref refused to call an obvious penalty on Sambou.

Phill Thompson
9 Posted 23/10/2018 at 12:24:24

Yeah I read the blog too, in between watching Arsenal first team on TV. Arsenal U23s are decent, so I see it as a point earned. Once again, though, we can't seem to score goals, we haven't had a regular scorer at U21/U23 for years. Time to give some of the U18s attackers a go and put others out on loan.

Michael Kenrick
10 Posted 23/10/2018 at 15:56:50

True, Phill. The last one to even get close to double figures was Kieran Dowell a couple of years ago.

I thought Harry Charsley had popped in a few but his record is not that great — I can't believe this is now his sixth season in the U21s/U23s!! His best season was his last for the U18s way back in 2014-15 when banged in 10 goals.

Dave Abrahams
11 Posted 23/10/2018 at 19:11:45

Wasn't it Harry Charsley who scored the goal in the final against Man City to see who were the best U18 team in England? I think it was the night Arsenal beat Hull City in the FA Cup Final?

Phill Thompson
13 Posted 23/10/2018 at 21:29:29

I'm sure Charsley was our top goalscorer with eight goals two seasons ago when we won the league, I can't remember or even think of who last year's top goalscorer was, could even have been Charsley again with not that many.

The clips Michael put up of Adedoyin‘s four goals last March and the clips of his three and Simms's four last Saturday suggest we could have two prospects who could possibly score at U23s for us.

Simon Smith
14 Posted 23/10/2018 at 23:02:01

Reading Unsworth's post-match comments, he claims Browning and Feeney are too good for U23 level. If that's the case, I'd expect to see Browning sold (probably on the cheap) and Feeney loaned out.

I would also like to see Hornby given a chance on loan too, along with both Dowell and Baningime, to top end championship clubs.

Michael Kenrick
15 Posted 24/10/2018 at 04:39:44

That's a fine memory you have there, Dave Abrahams! I was just looking at that result from back in 2013-14, trying to patch up the holes in my stats for that season, when they had an unusual format with playoffs involving the top pair from both North and South Divisions. Charsley was indeed the scorer for the win in the Final over Man City.

Lee Jamieson
16 Posted 24/10/2018 at 13:48:12

How did Sambou do? Is he anywhere near a first team chance?

Phill Thompson
17 Posted 24/10/2018 at 15:40:07

Lee, only seen highlights from the match, Sambou didn't stand out in them. At times he's looked better than last season but is nowhere near our first team squad. May need a January loan, otherwise he's going to be overtaken at U23s level by a surge of U18 strikers who need to show if they have anything.

Dave Abrahams
19 Posted 24/10/2018 at 16:08:32

Michael (15), is it possible to check if Keiran Dowell played in that game? He might have played in just the first half; if he played that was the first time I had seen him.

Russell Griffiths was in goal that night and saved Everton with a string of great saves, I wonder what happened to him.

Michael Kenrick
20 Posted 25/10/2018 at 05:22:42

My records say Dowell was in the bench for that one, Dave, and he remained an unsed sub:

Everton U18s: Griffiths; Jones, Connolly, Graham, Thorniley; Davies, Birch, Williams (90' Walsh); C Duffus (73' Brewster), Charsley, Dyson (54' Donohue).
Subs not used: Hewelt, Dowell.

I have him starting 8 of the 33 games played that season, with at least 5 sub appearances. Could be more as I'm missing teamsheet details from 6 of those games. He did not feature in 2012-13 so that must be his breakthrough season.

He did make a sub appearance in the FA Youth Cup, but only right at the death in the 90th minute; that was at Goodison Park.

Dave Abrahams
21 Posted 25/10/2018 at 17:16:44

Michael (20), thanks for looking into that for me.

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