U21s give up 2-goal lead at Boundary Park

Tuesday, 30 October, 2018 19comments  |  Jump to most recent

An Everton side of U21s lost tonight's Checkatrade Trophy match against Oldham Athletic, 3-2 the score.

This was the second game in Group F for the boys in Blue: they drew 1-1 with Bradford City but did not gain a bonus point when they lost the ensuing penalty shoot-out. The other side they will face in the group stages is Barnsley.

Development teams like Everton are required to field a minimum of six Under-21 players in their starting eleven for this competition, while Football League clubs must field a certain number of first team players. The games are played under full Football League rules, with seven substitutes instead of 5. Everton players will wear their registered squad numbers.

The Oldham bench featured Jose Baxter, who rejoined the Latics in the summer after spending a season rehabilitating his interrupted career with Everton U23s following a 12-month ban after he failed a drug test when with Sheffield United in 2015. So far this season, he has made 5 starts in League One, and 11 appearances off the bench, with 1 goal scored.

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Everton surged into a two-goal lead in the first half, thanks to fine finishing from Nathangelo Markelo and Shayne Lavery. But the home side struck back after the break, with three goals, to put the game beyond Unsworth's men, with Baxter remaining on the bench as an unused sub for Oldham Athletic.

Everton U23s: Hewelt, Feeney, Browning, Charsley, Johnson, Adeniran, Markelo (75' Simms), Broadhead, Gordon (58' Kiersey), Lavery (58' Bowler), Sambou.
Subs not Used: Hilton, Astley, Mampala, Phillips.

 

Reader Comments (19)

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Michael Kenrick
1 Posted 30/10/2018 at 16:43:09
Looks like Jose Baxter was featured on the Echo's Royal Blue podcast that posted yesterday — on your favourite podcast App.

"Didn't really get going" — his own description of the season he was generously gifted by the Chairman, Bill Kenwright, and David Unsworth. Niggles and injuries, coupled with pushing himself too hard seems to be the reason behind his limited contribution to the U23s last season.

"Really nervous" going back at the beginning of his spell, but everyone made him welcome at Finch Farm.

Michael Kenrick
2 Posted 30/10/2018 at 19:26:38
Official Members, as well as Season Ticket and Lounge members, can watch the game in full via their exclusive members portal.
Bill Griffiths
3 Posted 30/10/2018 at 19:44:17
1-0, Markelo
Bill Griffiths
4 Posted 30/10/2018 at 19:55:31
2-0, Lavery.
Phill Thompson
5 Posted 30/10/2018 at 20:28:48
Not a bad first half for the young blues, though Oldham had their chances too. Adeniran and Markelo have looked good in midfield. Defensively we've looked sound too.

Anthony Gordon has that look of class about him, not done too much but always looks composed on the ball for someone who's probably the youngest player on the pitch.

Bill Griffiths
6 Posted 30/10/2018 at 20:41:01
2-1, ex blue Peter Clarke for Oldham.
Kieran Kinsella
7 Posted 30/10/2018 at 20:43:06
Peter Clarke? Is he still playing? He must be getting up there in age.
Michael Kenrick
8 Posted 30/10/2018 at 20:44:39
Can't get access vis the OS. I'm not special.

I thought having Customer Number was sufficient? Guess I really do have to pay, even though I'm a Shareholder.

Bill Griffiths
9 Posted 30/10/2018 at 20:44:51
2-2, really under the cosh now.
Bill Griffiths
10 Posted 30/10/2018 at 20:46:03
Jose Baxter warming up ready to come on for The Latics.
Bill Griffiths
11 Posted 30/10/2018 at 20:50:34
Don't know his age, Kieran, but he's having a good game.
Bill Griffiths
13 Posted 30/10/2018 at 21:07:49
3-2, Jonathon Benteke, brother of Christian. Blues on the way out.
Mike Oates
14 Posted 30/10/2018 at 21:14:40
Adeniran really looks a strong athletic, pacey, everything-you-want midfielder. He's been the best player on the pitch by a country mile.

Right back Kyle John has also done well but not much from anyone else. Goalkeeper Hewelt has been very poor, not commanding and just pulled out on a one to one and cost us the 3rd goal.

Dave Abrahams
15 Posted 30/10/2018 at 21:41:58
Got the second half after a lot of messing about. I also thought my customer number was enough, took me ages to get a picture.

The game slipped away from Everton when Oldham brought a couple of older experienced players on and the young lads didn't have the character to fight a bit harder, lost too many tackles and, although they tried hard, it wasn't enough, like Mike (14) said Adeniran looked like a very strong midfielder but there wasn't, on the night, else who really stood out.

Who was the commentator? I had to keep making cups of coffee to stay awake, more boring than Michael Owen. No sorry, he wasn't that bad, wasn't far off it though.

Phill Thompson
16 Posted 30/10/2018 at 21:50:15
Agree that Adeniran was our stand-out player. Some of them like Broadhead, Charsley and Feeney, need loans come January. Hewelt won't make it with us, time to play Virginia and Hilton all the time. Similarly Jack Kiersey doesn't have it either, maybe harsh given their age but we need to see if the U18 players can step up.
Simon Smith
17 Posted 30/10/2018 at 23:57:01
Good to see Simms get a call-up from the U18s.
Kevin Prytherch
18 Posted 31/10/2018 at 00:21:02
Overall, a game of 2 halves. We bossed the first half playing a traditional 4-4-2. Adenerin and Markelo ran the midfield and we pressed high up the pitch.

Second half, we seemed to drop into a 4-5-1 and completely lost control of the game. We stopped pressing high and seemed to lose the midfield battle when we had an extra player. Poor tactics here, trying to fix something that wasn't broken.

Adeniran was head and shoulders above anyone else. Plenty of Oldham fans around me were commenting on how good he was.

Hewelt looked like he should have done better with the first goal and made a mess of the third goal.

Charsley looked solid but unspectacular, their second came through him as well, I think.

Feeney looked like an old fashioned centre back, made a few good clearances and tackles. Overall, I was impressed with him.

Browning belongs in the Championship, I thought him and Feeney both played well despite conceding 3.

John grew into the game in the 2nd half, didn't do too bad at then end and seemed to play better with Bowler in front of him. I was at the other side of the pitch in the first half though so that might be why I didn't see much in the first half.

Markelo played well in the first half where he and Adenerin bossed the midfield. Tailed off in the second half. Good goal though.

Adeniran was outstanding, he was like Beni at this level but with much more of a physical presence.

Gordon disappointed me, however he was furthest away from me on the pitch and others have said he played well.

Broadhead started brightly and faded. I think that this is probably his level.

Sambaou was Anichibe in disguise. Huge player, could get knocked off his stride by a feather. Very disappointed.

For Lavery read Broadhead.

Bowler looked dangerous when he came on, he did have a tendency to try and do it all himself though which he will need to grow out of.

Kiersey looked very composed at times on the ball, I'm not sure how old he is but he looked young. Considering how young he looked, I thought he coped well with the physical side of the game.

Simms looked like he was a bit lost at this level. It maybe that he is better suited to playing a few Under-23 games against Under-23 players for a while before he gets another crack at first teamers.

Steve Ferns
19 Posted 31/10/2018 at 08:47:53
Surely this was a game for McCarthy and Holgate. Play four or five fringe first teamers and bolster the rest with the best kids Under 21.

Instead, that looked like a below par U23 side. Unsworth is really behind this competition, so no idea what his thinking is.

John Williams
20 Posted 31/10/2018 at 11:05:35
I can see the value of games such as this, completely different in character to the PL2 and matches like last weeks against Man City. The midfielders had to scrap and battle, the defenders had to deal with big, physical strikers and faced a barrage of long balls, high crosses and corners and the strikers were up against a very good and highly experienced centre half in Peter Clarke.

With, by my count, six teenagers in the side it was not too surprising that after Oldham brought on their subs (presumably first team regulars) Everton wilted and found the going physically tough. The second and third goals were down to individual errors, with Morgan Feeney outmuscled by Ishmael Miller (another very experienced player) for the equaliser, and Hewelt at fault for the winner.

I agree with other posters that Adeniran had a very good game - strong, skilful and now with the confidence to drive forward with the ball at pace. This was the best I've seen him play, he reminded me a bit of Spurs' Dembele.

Browning seems to have recovered his form and fitness and really should be looking for a permanent move to a League One or possibly Championship club to build a professional career. Similarly, Charsley needs to now move on.


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