Blues rally late to survive a huge rock-bottom scare

Doncaster Rovers 1 - 2 Everton

Everton, who sit bottom of the Premier League,  travelled to Doncaster Rovers tonight for a Round 2 encounter in the Carabao Cup with the team that is rock bottom of the Football League, and they trailed the home side for most of the game.

But key changes at half-time finally saw a turnaround with goals from new signings Beto and Danjuma winning the tie.

Sean Dyche has not done much by way of squad rotation, with only Mykolenko and Godfrey as fresh faces, with Chermiti getting his first start, and new signing Beto on the bench.  

Everton tried to create their own peril from the start when Pickford almost gave away a backpass in the opening minute. They tried to remedy things with quick balls forward that were easily soaked up by the home side.

Everton did win a corner but it was cleared. When it came back to Chermiti, he was flagged for offside. Everton were very tentative, and looking to play many long balls that weren't really working, while the home side were making some half-decent attempts to create something. 

Apart from the long balls, Everton were having difficulty playing any football, with Doncaster doing a good pressing job to create passing jeopardy. After 20 minutes, Everton hadn't had a single touch in the Doncaster penalty area.  

Chermiti, with a chance to run at the Doncaster goal, passes it straight to a defender. Not good. Doncaster countered and won a corner that was so nearly converted, the unmarked Rowe firing inches over Pickford's bar. 

Everton's football continued to be shockingly poor, pinned in their half for spells, with out-balls doing just that – getting hoofed out of play. Danjuma had his pocket picked and gave away a free kick. From this, Everton cleared and Dobbin had a chance to break but stumbled on the ball and then gave it away. 

Chermiti couldn't control the ball and lost it to his marker, who he then fouled, setting another spirited Doncaster attack with one shot blocked and the second, heading for the corner of Pickford's goal was very fortunately deflected just past the post. 

Dobbin showed some passion to tackle his man and win the ball back but still no real attack on the Doncaster goal. Everton won a free-kick wide left, and the ball at least bobbled around inside the home penalty area, although without a chance being created. 

More Doncaster pressure needed to be repulsed, a deep cross surprising the unmarked Molyneux who could not fashion a shot,  but there was zero continuity in Everton's ragged play. Onana was too strong on his man but Doncaster got themselves offside on the free-kick.   

Everton finally created a good chance, Danjuma on a great one-two with Doucouré but he lashed his shot across the face of goal and past the far post with only the keeper to beat. 

The pressure remained on the Everton goal, Mykolenko giving away another corner that was played out and scooped forward for Ironside to head easily past Pickford, albeit from an offside position, but no VAR here! Goal to Doncaster Rovers. 

From the restart, Everton worked a chance for Onana who shot at Lawlor, the Doncaster keeper. The home side attacked again and won a deep free-kick wide right that fell to Rowe who powered in a superb shot that forced a tremendous save from Pickford. 

Dyche reacted to the abysmal display by making three changes at the break.

Even so, Everton almost came unstuck. Everton at least fashioned an attack but the ball from Young to Beto was intercepted and then Beto fouled the defender. Doncaster got free down the left again and Garner had to give up the corner with another shot on goal from an unmarked man.

Everton attacked down the left but Mykolenko's cross was woefully overhit. Beto tried to drive by himself through the middle and was called for a foul.

Everton had possession that ended with Doucoure passing the ball out of play and Doncaster fashioning another hugely threatening attack, Mykolenko blocking a shot with his arm. 

Everton tried to fashion another attack but again Mykolenko's cross was dreadful. More scrappy football got the Blues somehow into the home area but the ball was hacked away from Garner. 

The lack of enterprise was underlined by a long Keane hoof forward from deep that Danjuma could not stop going over the byeline. Danjuma then gave away a foul on the Doncaster left that was cleared. Everton got forward and Garner put in a better cross.

Mykolenko put on one that Beto should at least have got on goal. Mykolenko then ran a ball in that forced a desperate defensive lunge that won Everton a corner and finally there was some steady pressure from Everton but no clear chances created. 

Beyto showed great acceleration and put a fine ball into the box for Young but it was flagged out of play before he fashioned the cross. Garner tried to play in Danjuma but overhit the pass. 

A decent passage of play started by Mykolenko in midfield saw Beto set up to shoot but he made a dreadful mess of it. But a good ball forward from Doucouré saw a tremendous burst of speed from Beto and an exquisite touch that flicked the ball past the outrushing Lawlor and into the empty Doncaster net. Unbelievable. An Everton goal!

Mykolenko had gone down with an injury and was replaced by Tarkowski.

From a thwarted Doncaster attack, Everton attacked with more pace and Young forced a save with a shot from wide left. It was now a more even contest with Everton finally playing something approaching football but Doncaster still by no means humbled by their illustrious visitors. 

Garner put in a great cross that produced a towering header from the giant Beto, cannoning off the post. Then a fine shot from Danjuma skipped off the top of the crossbar as the Everton players it seemed finally realized they were in a game.  

But the minutes were ticking relentlessly toward penalties with Everton frustrated but the ball was laid in to Garner whose first-time shot was blocked. 

But Everton kept at it and a better sequence of possession saw Danjuma get a one-two and run along the 18-yard line before firing a difficult shot past Lawlor for what must surely be the winning goal for the Blues. 

Doncaster were given 6 minutes of added time to get back into it and did their best to do just that, a shot needed blocking and a corner given away that almost saw another chance created. 

At the other end, a chance for Danjuma was thwarted, Beto scored again but was flagged offside, and Maupay drove a shot at Lawlor before the final whistle went to signal a much-needed Everton victory. 

Doncaster Rovers: Lawlor, Senior, Westbrooke (90+3' Sotona), Olowu, Maxwell (90+3' Goodman), Broadbent, Rowe (71' Roberts), Bailey, Molyneux, Ironside, Faal.

Subs not Used: Wood, Jones, Long, Faulkner, Straughan Brown, Kuleya.

Everton:   Pickford, Mykolenko (74' Tarkowski), Keane, Godfrey, Patterson (46' Young), Garner, Onana, Doucoure (84' Maupay), Dobbin (46' Gana), Danjuma, Chermiti (46' Beto).

Subs not Used:  Virginia, Lonergan, Branthwaite, Onyango. 

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