After a particularly disappointing result against Liverpool it was important for Paul Tait’s Everton Under-21s to come back on Friday evening with a good performance against a top side like Chelsea and they didn’t disappoint.
The Toffees welcomed back **Reece Welch** for his first start of the season at any level and captained by **Elijah Campbell** (see below), the back 5 formation acknowledged the scale of the task against a formidable Chelsea team. **George Finney** was missing following his red card against Liverpool last Sunday so **Luca Davis**, a centre back by trade, filled in at right back as he did for the second half last weekend.
The game kicked off at Walton Hall Park and the Toffees were immediately under pressure from the slick West London team. In the 8th and then the 11th minute Chelsea missed golden chances to put themselves ahead, one of them a glaring miskick from one yard out. **George Pickford** also pulled off a customary great save to deny the visitors.
Chelsea had greater possession as they knocked the ball around admirably but as the Blues countered we began to see the goal threat that would turn the game. The energetic Toffees’ left back **Josh Van Schoor** began to find space to charge forwards and we saw firstly midfielder **Francis Gomez** with a good shot saved and then right winger **Jacob Beaumont-Clark** with a strong run and shot that went narrowly-wide.
The goal which turned out to be the winner came after 34 minutes and what a fine effort. Typical of a strong personal performance, Van Schoor recovered the ball after Campbell was beaten and the latter’s long ball landed at the feet of **Braiden Graham**. The Irishman’s pass for Beaumont-Clark was perfect and after a neat jink inside onto his favoured left peg, **“JBC”** placed his shot perfectly into the corner of the net, 1-0.
What followed was a masterclass in defensive resilience by Tait’s side who have rarely shown that side of the game all season, having previously shipped 26 goals in 12 cross-competition matches.
Chelsea did have the ball in the net in the 69th minute but it was correctly chalked off for offside. Either side of that we saw some stoic Blues’ defending and smart goalkeeping by Pickford. Even in the 90+7th minute, Chelsea hit the post but the young Toffees hung on to score a great three points.
The team effort was perhaps exemplified in the 90+3rd minute of the game when the ever-improving giant of a defender, **Will Tamen**, intercepted a pass then launched into a powerful 80 yard run towards the Chelsea goal. It came to nothing but that effort was typical and matched by the team throughout 99 long minutes. It’s tough to pick out individuals but it was nice to see both **Luca Davis** and his substitute replacement, **Demi Akarakiri**, fill in admirably at right back.
Two nights earlier, the U18s exacted perfect revenge for the harsh derby result against Liverpool U21s last Sunday.
You could be forgiven for getting a familiar sinking feeling when Liverpool took a 4th minute lead through Yeguo. It had been the 5th minute for their senior U21 counterparts last Sunday when they also fell behind to the Reds.
In the 42nd minute however, the Blues came back with a great goal as left back **Louis Poland** made a good interception and his strong run and pass to winger **Kean Wren** allowed the latter to slip an inch-perfect ball to striker **Ray Robert** and his finish was excellent, 1-1.
Five minutes after the break, in almost a carbon-copy of the first, Poland intercepted and launched a strong run. His pass to Robert in turn saw our first scorer set up a fine left-footed finish from young Scotsman **Ceiran Loney**, 2-1. That’s Loney’s 4th of the season.
In the 79th minute the victory was assured when, yet another interception, this time by Robert, saw fine play by midfielder **Melvyn Matos** and winger **Charlie Stewart** set up left-winger **Wren** for his third goal in 2 games.
That’s 3 wins on the bounce for Keith Southern’s team and a welcome victory and clean sheet for Paul Tait’s men.
Next up is a long trip to Newcastle for the U18s and a Football League Trophy game against Grimsby Town for the U21s next Tuesday.