Match Report

Everton edged their way past Fleetwood Town to book a place in the third round of the Carabao Cup thanks to Demarai Gray's solitary first-half goal.

The winger scored his second goal in three days when Dwight McNeil capitalised on a mistake by Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu and fed Alex Iwobi who teed Gray up to place a shot past Jakub Stolarczyk with 28 minutes on the clock.

It was a goal that Frank Lampard’s men had been threatening after an earlier shot by McNeil had been diverted behind by Drew Baker’s sliding block, Ruben Vinagre had come close to picking Salmon Rondon’s head out with a cross from the left and all three of Iwobi, McNeil and Rondon had miscued with efforts on goal.

For their part, Fleetwood had started adventurously enough with Cian Hayes driving past debutant Reece Welch in Everton’s defence but being muscled out by Michael Keane and Jed Garner seeing a shot charged down by Seamus Coleman.

But in what was a fairly comfortable first half for the Toffees, who had to make a change to their starting XI before kick-off when Tom Davies pulled up injured in the warm-up, it was on the opposition players that Scott Brown’s overly-physical team left their mark rather on the scoreboard.

Amadou Onana, starting a match for the first time since arriving from Lille earlier this month, was kicked from pillar to post all evening and Vinagre was barged into the advertising hoardings off the ball by Sean Rooney before Jed Garner was finally booked for a heavy, late tackle on Onana.

It wasn’t until the stroke of half-time that Asmir Begovic was tested in the Everton goal but he handily beat away a powerful Hayes effort and then saved from Harvey Macadam.

Brown had clearly instructed the Cods to have a go in the second half as they came out with a good deal more purpose to their play and Begovic had to bat the ball behind as it looped off Welch from a free-kick following a late challenge by Vinagre on Baker.

Nathan Patterson had a good chance to double the lead shortly before he was replaced by the impressive Lewis Warrington but powered his effort straight at the keeper while, at the other end, Begovic had to be alert to deny Hayes who had again got around the outside of Welch.

Onana saw a header bounce off a defender and narrowly clear the bar after Iwobi had headed a corner back across goal and Rondon’s shot from the angle was charged down but there would be no further addition to the score as Lampard was able to hand another debut to Stanley Mills as Everton comfortable saw the game out.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Updates

Everton battled to their first win of the season in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening when Demarai Gray got the only goal of the game to defeat  Fleetwood.

As expected, Frank Lampard has named a side of fringe first-team players along with an outing for Reece Welch and three other Academy proteges on the bench but he was forced into a change before a ball had even been kicked in anger when Tom Davies picked up an injury in the warm-up:

Seamus Coleman led the Blues out for the first time this season, wearing their all-blue strip, and the hosts kicked off. Everton tried to play possession football but had trouble stringing their passes together. Welch got beaten rather easily and Garner needed stopping by Keane. 

Welch tried to pick out Gray with a ball over the top but just a little over-hit. Another long ball tried to get Rondon in but he was offside.  The passing improved but Onana's through-ball was loose; however, a McNeil shot won a corner but no real threat ensued. 

Everton tried to build their attack but the Fleetwood defensive press was determined and effective. Vinagre looked to cross for Rondon but the big man completely missed the cross, and Iwobi lashed the follow-up high and wide. 

Fleetwood attacked with pace and as the Blues stood firm, Patterson's tackle was spot on and he then got forward to set up McNeil for a shot but the forward just passed the ball behind instead of shooting on goal.

Keane was easily robbed out on the right wing, and some good play led to a Fleetwood corner that Welch headed clear.  Welch again tried to reach Rondon but this time it dropped short and the home side mounted another attack. But good passing got the ball up to Rondon whose shot screwed wide. 

Onana felt he was fouled as the Fleetwood lads went in strongly for 50-50 balls but McNeil picked up a loose ball and Iwobi played in Gray to score. 

Fleetwood looked to respond, Hayes's shot easily picked up by Begovic.  Rooney was keen to make his mark down the right, giving Welch a good test. Geoff Garner was shown yellow for his clumsy tackle on Onana. Viangre's crossed forced another corner, taken by McNeil, that almost reached Rondon.

Shaun Rooney should have got more than a wagging finger for his off-the-ball body-check on Vinagre. McNeil tried to break forward but he was tackled by Earl, as Fleetwood used every tactic they could to thwart the Blues. Onana was strong on a Fleetwood player, causing Andrew to angrily push Onana and get a yellow card.

Hayes go forward and lashed a fine shot that Begovic was equal to. McAdam made a weaker shot that Begovic stopped before the half-time whistle. 

The game restarted but Patterson soon gave up a corner that needed defending. Vinagre had a well-worked chance to cross in which he eschewed. Vinagre saw yellow for a poor foul on Baker. Welch almost beat Begovic with his 'defensive' header from the free-kick and chaos ensued from the corner, before the ball was cleared.

In the face of overly aggressive play from the locals, Everon tried to play quality football, Gray making another chance but his shot was blocked. Fleetwood went down the other end to force a couple of corners. Onana was blocked painfully by Vela. But the attack fell apart. And Onana's loose passing did not help. 

But Patterson was gifted a chance to shoot and he did – straight at Stolarczyk.  Patterson was given another chance which he ballooned into the trees. Onana's cross-shot was deflected into the night sky as Everton played forward with more urgency, Vinagre's ball to Rondon was not easy to convert. 

Hayes drove at the Everton defence and fired low but Begovic saved well as Lampard made a double change just after the hour-mark. Onana went down again with what seemed at best an ankle tap. 

Rondon had a good run but Iwobi had to force a corner, Daemari Gray headed back for Onana whose header was deflected behind. Onan tried and failed with his bicycle kick and Rondon's shot was blocked behind.  Good pressure but nothing to show for it. Fleetwood were allowed o come forward and did their best and Hayes again tried to wriggle his way inside. 

Time for Stanley Mills to make his debut as Everton struggled to seal this tie.  Everton were getting some run of the ball but the moves were not coming off. 

Onana continued to get a lot of attention But Everton were making nothing of the free-kicks they were granted when Fleetwood's physical play was punished. 

Everton tried to keep the play in Fleetwood's half but could not get close enough for a decent chance. Baker was booked for cutting down Onana in full flight. 

And the Blues held on to that solitary Gray goal to go through.

Fleetwood Town: Stolarczyk, Rooney (65' Omochere), Baker [Y:90+1'], Earl, Andrew [Y:44'], Macadam (85' White), Sarpong-Wiredu (46' Vela), Johnston, Hayes (87' Glenfield), Joe Garner, Gerard Garner [Y:34'] (65' Batty).

Subs not Used: Lynch, Nsiala, Edwards, McMillan

Everton: Begovic, Coleman, Welch (64' Tarkowski), Keane, Vinagre [Y:49'], Patterson (64' Warrington),  Onana, McNeil, Rondon, Iwobi, Gray (75' Mills).

Subs not Used: Lonergan, Crellin, Holgate, Gordon, Mykolenko, Price.

Michael Kenrick

Match Preview

Everton turn their attention to the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening when they make the short trip to Fleetwood for the second time in three years.

The Blues are looking for their first win of the season and after the late equaliser against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday, Frank Lampard and his squad will be hoping to establish some momentum if they can beat their League One opponents and progress to the third round.

With striking reinforcements on the horizon, it’s an opportunity for Everton’s forward players to find their shooting boots and also a chance for the manager to field some of those players who haven’t been involved as much in the opening league games.

As the only fit, senior centre-forward at the club, Salomon Rondon would be a good bet to start. Two of the Venezuelan’s three goals last season were scored in cup competition against lower-league opposition and this may provide him with the platform to get off the mark while work in the transfer market continues to bolster the attack before the transfer deadline.

In Lampard’s own words, new signing Amadou Onana needs minutes to get up to speed in terms of match fitness so he will also likely be in the line-up alongside Seamus Coleman and Ruben Vinagre for the same reason.

Anthony Gordon, who remains a target of Chelsea, who are confident of getting a deal across the line this week according to Paul Joyce in The Times, is unlikely to feature, at least from the start.

Elsewhere in the side, in addition to second-stringers like Asmir Begovic, Niels Nkounkou and Jean-Philippe Gbamin, there is scope for some of Everton’s up-and-coming youngsters to get some minutes, albeit within the framework of balancing the need to blood youth and the imperative to get through the tie and qualify for the next round.

Certainly, Blues fans might be intrigued to see someone like Tom Cannon in the squad given that he is the most viable of the club’s forwards in the Academy now that Ellis Simms, Nathan Broadhead and Lewis Dobbin have all gone out on loan.

Kick-off: 7:45pm, 23 August, 2022
Last Time: Fleetwood Town 2 - 5 Everton
Predicted Line-up: Begovic, Coleman, Keane, Holgate, Vinagre, Allan, Onana, Nkounkou, McNeil, Rondon

Lyndon Lloyd

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