FA Youth Cup

 PAGE CONTENTS

Day Date   Rnd  Ven Opponents                 Res     Scorers                   
Fri 10 Dec  3   (H) Fulham                    3-2     Mills, Okoronkwo 2
Fri 12 Jan  4   (H) Sheffield Utd             2-1     Okoronkwo, Mills
            5   (A) Manchester Utd

Everton started the game showing some good intent to get forward ut Metcalfe was a little too eager with his heavy forward passes. Charlie Whitaker had the first decent shot at goal, then Mills than Whitaker again with an even better strike, all saved by the Fulham keeper.

But against the run of play, a parried save off Nash was finished with ease to put Fulham ahead in their first attack a quarter of the way through the game. That unfortunately was a massive blow to the confidence they had shown as the rain started pouring down on their Goodison parade.

The young Blues got back in attack mode toward the end of the half, and had a slew of chances, most which the Fulham keeper saved, one notable effort by Whitaker he stabbed wide.

Francis Okoronkwo came on to replace Kouyate after the break. But it was Fulham who looked like adding to their lead as Everton were pushed back and could produce nothing. That was until the two wingers combined superbly, Whitaker playing an excellent through-ball from half-way that Stan Mills could run onto and slide past the otherwise very solid Fulham keeper. Game on!

Then some much better football but it was a wicked deflection that helped Stan Mills score the go-ahead goal for the young Blues with 22 minutes to play.

Then a brilliant move started by Metcalfe and with Mills crossing perfectly for Okoronkwo but that excellent Fulham keeper stopped Everton's third with a fantastic save.

Fulham always looked to have a goal in them but a terrible backpass went past their keeper and Francis Okoronkwo was on it to lash the ball into the empty net from 3 inches out to make the win secure for the young Blues.

But the game ended on a sour note when Mallon went through on Harris and he reacted badly, a fierce scuffle ensued and ultimately both players were sent off as 4 minutes added became 9 and Diaz scored straight from the free-kick.

Everton U18s: Nash, Mallon [R:90+4'], Samuels-Smith, Campbell, Welch [Y:90'], Butterfield, Mills, Metcalfe, Kouyate (46' Okoronkwo), Price, Whitaker.
Subs: Stewart, Dixon, Tierney, Heath, Lawrence, Sherif.

Everton won an early penalty when Okoronkwo was fouled but Isaac Price failed to convert from the spot.

Five minutes before the interval, his inch-perfect lofted pass was met with a clinical first-time finish from Mills - but it was flagged offside.

A goal from Francis Okoronkwo's just before the half-time interval finally gave the young Blues a deserved lead after he beat two defenders with a clever piece of skill and found the bottom corner with a precise side-footed finish.

That advantage was doubled just after the hour mark as Okoronkwo turned provider, setting up midfielder Stanley Mills to convert from close range for his fifth goal in his past five games.

The Blades pulled one back with a late header - but Paul Tait's side defended well in the closing stages to see out the result.

Scorers: Okoronkwo (43') Mills (63'); Sachdev (88')

Everton U18s: Nash, Mallon, Samuels-Smith, Campbell [Y:??'], Welch, Butterfield, Mills [Y:55'], Price, Sherif (83' Lawrence), Barker (73' Djankpata), Okoronkwo.
Subs not Used:Stewart, Quintyne, Tierney, Jagne, Heath.