Everton 1 - 0 Mansfield Town [L]

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Everton take on Mansfield Town of League One tonight in the this Carabao Cup 2nd Round tie — the first cup game to be played at the club's new home.

Although this is very much the lesser of the two domestic cup competitions, it is a source of frustration to many Evertonians that the League Cup is something the club has never won — despite coming close in a couple of keenly contested finals. 

There is always talk of 'taking the competition seriously' which contrasts sharply with it also being seen traditionally as an opportunity for fringe players and youngsters to get some all-too-rare senior match play under their belts. Which ethos rules tonight remains to be seen in David Moyes's team selection.   

Travers, Coleman, Armstrong, Alcaraz and McNeil start alongside Grealish and Barry in a relatively strong line-up.  Pickford and Gueye have been given the night off. 

First Half

The visitors got things started 15 minutes late, in their rather nice yellow and blue kit, and tried to push forward but the Blues shut them down. but could not get very far forward themselves.  

Barry showed some nice moves but then lost a ball played nicely to his feet. He lost the ball again and Mansfield attacked with relish, but failed to make a shot. 

Everton had another spell of possession, getting to the edge of the penalty area, but not much further after playing it around the houses. A great long ball looked perfect for Alcaraz but he let it bounce through to Roberts. 

A lovely move through the middle saw a great shot from Alcaraz that forced a fine save from Roberts nothing coming from the corner. McNeil overhit a poor crossfield ball that was meant for Grealish.   

A long ball to Barry and Alcaraz was not played back properly for McNeil, who was then fouled wide right. McNeil tried to whip it goalward, Roberts palming it over the bar. McNeil with the corner, it was good for Tarkowski ghosting around the back and the far post but well defended. 

Grealish was roaming across the front third, but not having too much joy as the visitors were keen to thwart everything Everton tried to do. Coleman fed McNeil down the left and his cross looked to cause trouble with Barry in attendance at the far post but the Mansfield defence held firm.

Grealish put a great low cross in for McNeil who skied it with a dreadful shot. The move was almost repeated in mirror fashion from the right and this time it was Garner setting up Grealish for a clear shot that was even worse in its execution than McNeil's – if that were possible!

McNeil tried a deeper cross to Barry but he was too slow to get moving to where he should be receiving it. Half-an-hour gone and not a lot to show for it.

Everton continued to play some nice passing build-up play but with no real end product. Grealish thought he was fouled but Reed had won the ball. Armstrong was played in by Grealish but he drove his low shot at Roberts instead of squaring it to Barry for a tap-in. 

Mansfield mounted a rare attack, Grealish breaking it down but the Blues break was thwarted. The Blues tried to build again but the passing wasn't slick enough, and Mansfield came closest to getting a shot off from a good cross in. 

The visitors had another good spell, Everton not doing enough to press them, and they kept working the second ball around. Everton won it back and tried to break but Barry could not evade his defender and back came the yellow shirts just before the break, good cross needing defending by Mykolenko. 

Tarkowski had a bit of trouble from Evans that could have flared up but the whistle went on a half in which Mansfield had played well while Everton had blown what chances they had created. 

Second Half

The home side restarted slowly until a nice ball seemed to find Alcaraz but he lost it immediately. But The Blues kept working it around with Mykolenko and Grealish driving in, his low shot saved by Roberst.

A good corner from Garner, was flicked on to Tarkowski at the far post but again he had no room to finish.  

Armstrong thought the had a chance but it was closed off and he played it back to Charly Alcaraz, whose brilliant shot curled around, beating Roberts, a superb strike from the South American. 

McNeil went on a great dribble but then Coleman overplayed it. More good Blues work tried ot advance the ball again, but 

A ball came through but Barry expected the defender to take it and was surprised when it reached him. Grealish then launched a great counter but somehow Barry lost the ball again when it was passed to him. He was replaced by Beto while Tyler Dibling made his debut in place of Jack Grealish. 

The visitors were still not making it easy for he home side, with space in midfield at a premium. Garner tried another long-distance blast but it was off target and lacked power. 

At the other end, Bolton got past Coleman and lashed a great shot toward the far corner, Travers launching himself, but Tarkowski got to stop it with his head. 

A long ball found Beto but he took too long trying to fake a defender and lost it to another defender sneaking in behind him. 

A ball broke and Keane flicked it instinctively through to Beto but his shot was really poor, straight at Roberts. 

 

Everton:  Travers, Mykolenko, Tarkowski, Keane, Coleman, Garner, Armstrong, Alcaraz, Grealish (60' Dibling), McNeil, Barry (60' Beto).

Subs:  King, Ndiaye, O'Brien, Dewsbury-Hall, Iroegbunam, Onyango, Campbell.

 

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