What a Night!

Lyndon Lloyd accompanies Paul Traill to become part of an incredible night at Goodison Park as Everton secure Premier League survival following a desperately fraught season.

Everton 3 - 2 Crystal Palace

I managed to get out of work a few hours early, and headed over to Liverpool on the bus. Excited, apprehensive yet optimistic, I was nervous of what the evening had in store.

Lyndon had already suffered quite the ordeal with his luggage going missing during his flight over the pond. “Hopefully that's the worst thing that happens to you today” I said.

Conscious of how the evening may pan out, we grabbed some food at Thomas Rigby's as we figured we might not get the chance later. Lyndon and I then chatted for an hour or so about pretty much everything and anything but Everton. Whether that was subconsciously deliberate given what was at stake in the evening, I don't know, but it was great to catch up with Lyndon. A little after 5pm Matt Jones from The Blue Room joined us for a jar or two, and as we ticked around 6pm we felt it was time to make a move towards Goodison Park. We were talking nothing but Everton at this point.

Lyndon and I were lucky enough to find a taxi pretty quickly and made the quick dart towards Goodison Park. We then went separate ways, Lyndon to go and catch up with Ell Bretland, myself to catch up with Steve and Thomas for a pint, two Dutch Evertonians who had also travelled in for the big game. It's always good to catch up with them fellas. As we walked down Goodison Road and took in the electric atmosphere Steve commented “it feels like Everton are wining the league, but this is just to stay in the league”. He was correct. The support Evertonians have produced in the club's hour of need has been as outstanding as it has extraordinary.

I was in my seat with about 20 minutes to go until kick off. It felt like a very protracted, though thoroughly enjoyable build up to the game, but now we were here. This is it.

The roar that greeted the players as they took to the field was breathtaking, truly phenomenal. I hadn't seen the team news yet, and was baffled to see Andre Gomes again preferred to Allan. As expected, Michael Keane was recalled to the team following his sickness bout.

Seamus Coleman won the toss. The noise was deafening. And just when we were wondering where Gary was he appeared. “I didn't want to come” he said. “I can't face it”. You won't meet many bigger Evertonians than Gary. I'm glad he was with us. It was a cagey beginning to the game. I thought the players looked visibly nervous and really struggled to take the game to Crystal Palace in the opening exchanges, indeed the Eagles settled far quicker into the game.

Richarlison has never scored a free kick for Everton though I doubt he has ever come closer than with his 25 yard effort which struck the Crystal Palace crossbar. That was a little unlucky, but that was about all we had in terms of opportunities in the opening spell, and indeed Crystal Palace opened the scoring quite easily when Eberechi Eze's good ball into the box was well met by Jean-Phillipe Mateta.

Usually a crowd's nervousness can transfer to the players though in this instance it felt the other way round, everyone, rightly became increasingly nervous, worried, agitated, and a little bit angry. A lot of this ire was directed at Andre Gomes who was producing an impact-less display. I felt for the Portuguese', he was trying, but couldn't get on the ball, and his efforts to win it back were in vain.

On 34 minutes Anthony Gordon was lucky not to have broken his leg, not for the first time this season, following a rotten challenge by an opponent, this time Jordan Ayew. Why he wasn't shown a red card I don't know. Such is schadenfreude, Ayew had the last wicked laugh when he finally scored with his collarbone following a series of ridiculous Everton mistakes. More than a few people both at half time and later in the pub compared it to the Gary Ablett own goal in 1994. They weren't wrong, it was terrible.

We were all a bit disconsolate at the break. I was stunned with the position we'd found ourselves in and didn't know what to say or do. I remember Gary talking at me and I could barely reply to him, I was lost. Ste said “Well we're either going down or we're going to witness one of the greatest ever Goodison nights” or something to that effect.

Each match day the fella at the end of the row and I, I've no idea what his name is, say hello and pat each other on the back as I shuffle past him. We barely ever say anything to each other apart from “alright mate”, but I always like seeing him on match day. As I came back from the loo at half time we looked at each and we probably both looked as crestfallen as each other. He looked incredibly sad, as probably did I, as we gave each other a sorry nod. All this time we've been awful this season, I hadn't at any point believed we were going down until this moment then. Despite still having another game, I felt we were now on that spiral. We are going to be relegated.

All you could do was get behind the lads, and the sight of Dele Alli warming up and ready to go in full kit gave everyone a lift. The crowd did their bit, no question. We needed an early goal in the second half. It certainly felt like a long nine minutes until we got it, and in truth ‘til that point we didn't look like getting it, and then out of nothing, a determined knock down from Mason Holgate fell to Michael Keane who took a touch and nonchalantly volleyed into the corner on his left foot. A lifeline for Everton. Back in the game. The atmosphere cranked up a notch.

The players grew in confidence, aided by a touch of class and calmness in possession from Dele Alli. And less than ten minutes later 1-2 became 2-2 when Richarlison's scuffed effort somehow found the corner. You suddenly believed. It was incredible.

The important goal came of course, and what a header it was from Dominic Calvert-Lewin. A delicious free kick from substitute Demarai Gray, a bullet diving header from Dominic, and Everton had done it. We all hugged and held for dear life. Amazing. Some fans spilled onto the pitch, which wasn't particularly helpful, as it meant we had to navigate seven minutes of stoppage time. It felt like a chunk of it had gone and I said to Ste “we must have used up five minutes of stoppage time by now surely?”. Ste, who had set his stopwatch, shook his head dismissively and said “two”. Two! Jesus, still five minutes to go.

Though tense, we negotiated it pretty well and were seldom in danger. Crystal Palace just wanted out of there and it was hard to blame them. Anthony Taylor started giving us all the 50/50 decisions, and who could blame him with the baying Goodison mob?

The whistle finally went. Anthony Taylor already making a hasty retreat across the pitch as he blew for full time. Evertonians, naturally ran onto the pitch. Once it got to the point of anybody being allowed on, which didn't take long, Gary and Ste went onto the pitch. I stayed put for a while, taking it all in. Though then I saw Gary and Ste on the pitch having the time of their lives, and I got envious and went on the pitch myself. I saw the guy at the end of the row and we gave each other a big bear hug. To think at half time we were disconsolate.

On the pitch everyone was celebrating, hugging each other, singing, dancing, some lads were even having a kick around. I could do nothing. I was so stunned, totally beaten by this season from Hell, I just walked around speechless. A crowd began forming towards the players entrance. I had no idea what for, I couldn't see Frank Lampard jumping up and dwn. People were beginning to leave and I did too, finally meeting Lyndon and Ste back at the statue. We were all rather speechless, unable to put what happened into words. We got the train to Moorfields and went to the Denbigh Castle pub (it's great fun in there) to carry on the party…which we later finished off at Matthew Street. I got home not long before 4am. Not my most productive day of work today I must admit.

So that's it for me this season. I'll obviously take a passing interest in our game at Arsenal on Sunday, but am not bothered about watching it, I'll be going to watch some cricket, with no TV in sight. I don't care much for who wins the league, or who gets relegated. We're safe, that's all that matters. This season has been wretched, and I'm looking forward to not caring about the football for one weekend. A lot of comings and goings are required over the Summer, and we'll have to do it on a shoestring it seems, but now isn't the time to think about that.

Right now, relax. You've earned it. UTFT.

Player ratings:

Jordan Pickford: Having seen it again since, I have to feel Jordan was one of the many at fault for Crystal Palace's second goal, though he was otherwise OK. His kicking was poor for a lot of the first half but he was improved after the break. Our player of the season. 6

Vitalii Mykolenko: He was OK, kept at it. 6

Mason Holgate: As an ever-present in our last six games, in which we have picked up 10 points, Mason has been an ever present, and thus an unsung hero in my book. Two clean sheets and his two goals and one assist far outshine nearly all of his outfield compatriots. He's dug in when it mattered. He cares about our club, and if finances are on them wires for the foreseeable future, lads like Mason, who will go out there and give their best are invaluable. Well done Mason. 7

Michael Keane: A very welcome return to the team, and had he not have become sick ahead of the Brentford match maybe we would have got the job done then. Like Mason, he has also stood up to be counted, especially as he's had to come into games as a last minute swap, or replacing players early in games. We were saying in the pub after the game that he's quite a classy player Michael, pretty cultured at times, and thus we weren't incredibly shocked by his well-taken goal. A good player, we could do a lot worse. 8

Seamus Coleman: Made a big error ahead of the second Crystal Palace goal, but he didn't let it faze him and he kept on going. He had a tough job up against Wilfred Zaha but he came through it very well. 7

Alex Iwobi: He began at right back but at 0-2 down was pushed further forward. In the second half he never stopped trying. He never stopped believing. He wasn't going to give this up. From zero to hero in a matter of months. Well done Alex. 8

Andre Gomes: I felt sorry for Andre, because his failings were not due to a lack of effort, it just didn't work for him. He had to come off. 5

Abdoulaye Doucoure: He was a bit frustrating in the first half but he certainly upped his game in the second half and had a big impact. 7

Anthony Gordon: Not his best game, but not due to lack of effort. He'll be jaded after a long slog of a breakthrough season. One of the few positives from the season. 5

Richarlison: Wasn't quite at his best, presumably due to carrying an injury, but he got through 91 minutes and scored a vital goal of course. 7

Dominic Calvert-Lewin: He was colossal in the second half. He brought aggression to the party and Crystal Palace weren't ready for it. His goal was a brilliant header, but his fight was just as important. A great effort. My man of the match. 9

Substitutes:

Dele Alli (for Andre Gomes): Cometh the hour, etc. Dele settled into the game quickly and helped get us up the pitch. An Important introduction. 8

Demarai Gray (for Anthony Gordon): He also got into the swing of things quickly and put in a delicious ball for our winning goal. 7

Jonjoe Kenny (for Richarlison): Such is the blur of them final seven minutes, I really can't remember anything Jonjoe did so can't grade him.

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