Moments you may have missed on Saturday following Everton's 1-0 win over Ipswich Town at Hill Dickinson Stadium, including one over in Thailand
A pitch roller about to run over Andros Townsend in Thailand - thankfully the former Everton star escaped serious injury and was still able to play
A pitch roller about to run over Andros Townsend in Thailand - thankfully the former Everton star escaped serious injury and was still able to play
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Basking in a seven-match unbeaten run going into the first international break of the season, many Evertonians were just settling down for the evening, preparing for Match of the Day, following the Blues’ 1-0 win over Ipswich Town that lifted them to fifth in the Premier League table when shocking footage of one of their former stars appeared.
Here’s a look at Andros Townsend’s near miss with serious injury and other potential moments missed from an eventful day...
Roller horror for Townsend
Brought to Everton by Rafael Benitez on July 20, 2021, on a free transfer after his Crystal Palace contract expired, Townsend made a bright start in a royal blue jersey, winning Premier League Goal of the Month when opening his account for his new club with a 30-yard strike in a 3-1 home win over Burnley on September 13.
The Londoner from Leytonstone ultimately netted seven goals for Everton in 27 matches but when then thwarted by an anterior cruciate ligament injury when returning to face the Eagles at Selhurst Park in an FA Cup quarter-final on March 20 which proved to be his final match for the club.
Among the chaos of the Blues’ dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace that secured their top flight status on May 19 though, Townsend was famously captured on camera hobbling around in wild celebrations with his team-mates and supporters. Following this latest incident though, the 35-year-old is fortunate to have been hurt far worse.
Warming up for his current employers, Thai side PT Prachuap – nicknamed the Killer Wasps – Townsend miraculously escaped serious injury when a member of the ground staff ploughed into him while driving a pitch-rolling vehicle, flooring the player and running over his left leg as he attempted to do an aerial backheel.
While some of his team-mates rushed over while others turned away in horror, thankfully the winger was able to get back up and he played a cameo role in the game, coming on as a stoppage time substitute as his side defeated Pattani 3-0.
Rooney watches Everton win
Last week, Arsenal’s Max Dowman became only the second 16-year-old to score two goals for a Premier League club in all competitions with his brace for Arsenal in their 4-2 win at Ipswich Town on Tuesday matching Wayne Rooney’s feat for Everton in a 3-0 victory at Wrexham in another League Cup tie on October 1, 2002. Subsequently, Rooney, now 40, went to check out the Tractor Boys in the flesh as they faced his beloved Blues at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Signing autographs and posing for photographs with other spectators while bringing one of his sons along, the Croxteth man who finished his playing career as Manchester United and England’s all-time leading scorer, will have been interested to watch the progress of another teenage Scouse star Harrison Armstrong from nearby West Derby. While the midfielder has emerged as Everton’s brightest home-grown hero for several years, four months shy of his 20th birthday, he’s still yet to open his account for the Blues and squandered another inviting opportunity to do so late on against Ipswich.
Applause for Noah
Ipswich Town manager Gary O’Neil thanked well-wishes following the death of his father Graham which the club announced less than 48 hours before the game. Reflecting upon his loss, the 43-year-old remarked: “Thanks for everything Dad.
“I couldn’t have done any of it without you. You taught me football, you taught me values and you taught me how to look after everyone that’s important to me.
“What an incredible example you set. I’ll miss you forever mate.
“Rest in peace, Dad. Love you.”
Screens show a tribute to Noah Woods during the match between Everton and Ipswich Town at Hill Dickinson Stadium on September 19, 2026
Screens show a tribute to Noah Woods during the match between Everton and Ipswich Town at Hill Dickinson Stadium on September 19, 2026(Image: Gary Oakley - Everton FC via Getty Images)
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In addition, both sets of players wore black armbands following the tragic death of three-year-old Noah Woods in the Suffolk village of Brantham. Noah’s image was displayed on the big screens at Hill Dickinson Stadium in the third minute of the game as applause rang out from the 52,008 crowd.
Joe Thomas farewell
Following the end of David Moyes’ post-match press conference, Everton’s head of media Andy Neild announced that it was Joe Thomas’ last game as the ECHO’s Everton correspondent after over four years in the role and the Blues boss promptly led a round of applause for him before handing him a farewell gift.
On the day that it emerged that The Friedkin Group were prepared to sell Armstrong to Nottingham Forest – before fan threats to riot prompted a dramatic U-turn – it was Joe of course who teed the Glaswegian gaffer up in his post-match press conference at Bournemouth when he asked him if he had a final message to the supporters ahead of the transfer window closing, prompting Moyes to reply: “their manager is an Evertonian.”