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Player Valuation: £70m
A five goal comeback in the second half gave Kevin Sheedy’s youngsters the 3 points after trailing 2-0 at the break. Matthew Pennington pulled one back for the hosts with a brace from Hallam Hope and substitute Anton Forrester to seal the win despite a brave performance from the Railwaymen.
After leaving the sunny climate of the United States, Everton’s youngsters played their first league game since the defeat at Manchester City 3 weeks ago. The conditions were ideal with warm sunshine and blue skies as the home side got the game underway.
The first chance of a threat fell to the home side as early as the third minute when Orenuga and Hope combined with a good understanding going forward to see Hope be on the end of a pass but Garratt the Crewe keeper made a very good and important stop.
The Alex went on the counter within 60 seconds and beat the offside trap but the visiting striker hastily put his shot without troubling Fitzgibbon.
An incident very similar to yesterday’s reserve game which brought Fitzgibbon racing off his line to deal with a pacy ball that eluded Everton’s defence, his clearance hit the back of Crewe’s Brandon Moores and was heading goalbound but a good reaction from Jasper Johns spared his team mates’s blushes as he swept the ball from danger.
Garratt again denied an Everton attack after Hope had played Long in with a chance but after a fumble the keeper did well to grasp the ball at the second attempt.
For although Everton were showing signs of putting the opposition under pressure, Crewe were always looking dangerous when they broke.
Grant lost the ball in midfield and it was Ryan Colclough who teased his marker before setting his sights on goal to despatch a well placed shot to give his team the lead.
Crewe doubled their lead with a well taken strike from full back Toby Appleton on the half hour as Everton’s defence looked troubled and were now faced with a mountain to climb.
HALF TIME EVERTON U18’S 0 CREWE ALEX U18’S 2
A half time tongue lashing from the blue’s boss Kevin Sheedy was hoping for a response from his team but again it was the visitors who carried on where they left off before the interval as the scorer of the first goal Colclough that forced Fitzgibbon into a fine save.
Time for changes as 2 substitutes were introduced, Forrester and Molyneux replaced Barrow and Orenuga and as in the first half Garratt again was the saviour denying Grant on two ocassions the latter tipping over a free kick.
Everton’s pressure finally paid off with a multiple of efforts being blocked by the Crewe defence until the ball fell kindly to Pennington to sneak the ball home.
Hope levelled the game two minutes later capitalising on a rare Garratt mistake to prod the ball over the line and make the honours even.
Everton were now in full control and their performance had changed with the weather as the rain hammered it down.
Everton increased their lead further with 2 goals in quick succession, Hope added to his tally then provider Pennington assisted Forrester who kept his composure with a beautiful finish to make it 4-2!
Crewe must not have expected this onslaught in this second period and just as things could not have got any worse for them the inevitable happened as a fifth goal was despatched to make Forrester the proud owner of it and earned him a double.
FULL TIME EVERTON U18’S 5 CREWE ALEX U18’S 2
Team: Fitzgibbon, Pennington, Johns, Heneghan, Hammar, Barrow (Molyneux 52), Higgins, Grant, Hope (c), Long, Orenuga (Forrester 52). Unused subs: Taudul (GK), Waring, Shannon
Team Coach Kevin Sheedy
Crewe Alex Team: Garratt, Appleton, Hughes, Turton (c), Ray, Pezo, Daniels, Waters, Peach, Colclough, Moores. Subs: Nolan, Wilson
Team Coach James Collins
Match Officials Ref Mr N Barnard Assistants Mr L Ockleshaw and Mr C Bull
After leaving the sunny climate of the United States, Everton’s youngsters played their first league game since the defeat at Manchester City 3 weeks ago. The conditions were ideal with warm sunshine and blue skies as the home side got the game underway.
The first chance of a threat fell to the home side as early as the third minute when Orenuga and Hope combined with a good understanding going forward to see Hope be on the end of a pass but Garratt the Crewe keeper made a very good and important stop.
The Alex went on the counter within 60 seconds and beat the offside trap but the visiting striker hastily put his shot without troubling Fitzgibbon.
An incident very similar to yesterday’s reserve game which brought Fitzgibbon racing off his line to deal with a pacy ball that eluded Everton’s defence, his clearance hit the back of Crewe’s Brandon Moores and was heading goalbound but a good reaction from Jasper Johns spared his team mates’s blushes as he swept the ball from danger.
Garratt again denied an Everton attack after Hope had played Long in with a chance but after a fumble the keeper did well to grasp the ball at the second attempt.
For although Everton were showing signs of putting the opposition under pressure, Crewe were always looking dangerous when they broke.
Grant lost the ball in midfield and it was Ryan Colclough who teased his marker before setting his sights on goal to despatch a well placed shot to give his team the lead.
Crewe doubled their lead with a well taken strike from full back Toby Appleton on the half hour as Everton’s defence looked troubled and were now faced with a mountain to climb.
HALF TIME EVERTON U18’S 0 CREWE ALEX U18’S 2
A half time tongue lashing from the blue’s boss Kevin Sheedy was hoping for a response from his team but again it was the visitors who carried on where they left off before the interval as the scorer of the first goal Colclough that forced Fitzgibbon into a fine save.
Time for changes as 2 substitutes were introduced, Forrester and Molyneux replaced Barrow and Orenuga and as in the first half Garratt again was the saviour denying Grant on two ocassions the latter tipping over a free kick.
Everton’s pressure finally paid off with a multiple of efforts being blocked by the Crewe defence until the ball fell kindly to Pennington to sneak the ball home.
Hope levelled the game two minutes later capitalising on a rare Garratt mistake to prod the ball over the line and make the honours even.
Everton were now in full control and their performance had changed with the weather as the rain hammered it down.
Everton increased their lead further with 2 goals in quick succession, Hope added to his tally then provider Pennington assisted Forrester who kept his composure with a beautiful finish to make it 4-2!
Crewe must not have expected this onslaught in this second period and just as things could not have got any worse for them the inevitable happened as a fifth goal was despatched to make Forrester the proud owner of it and earned him a double.
FULL TIME EVERTON U18’S 5 CREWE ALEX U18’S 2
Team: Fitzgibbon, Pennington, Johns, Heneghan, Hammar, Barrow (Molyneux 52), Higgins, Grant, Hope (c), Long, Orenuga (Forrester 52). Unused subs: Taudul (GK), Waring, Shannon
Team Coach Kevin Sheedy
Crewe Alex Team: Garratt, Appleton, Hughes, Turton (c), Ray, Pezo, Daniels, Waters, Peach, Colclough, Moores. Subs: Nolan, Wilson
Team Coach James Collins
Match Officials Ref Mr N Barnard Assistants Mr L Ockleshaw and Mr C Bull
