A new season began for the champions Everton with a game at the training ground in Chigwell ,Essex against Tottenham with an 11am kick off.
Eric Dier took over the captaincy as a new look and young Everton side with some new additions to the squad replacing some of the existing players that have moved up to join the reserves.
Spurs kicked of the campaign with Everton playing in their Royal blue shirts white shorts and blue socks. Both teams were treading very gingerly in the opening minutes with both teams trying to take control but on 8 minutes an Adam Thomas ran and shot, forced Miles in the Tottenham goal into the first save of the game which went out for a corner. Spurs responded 2 minutes later with their first attempt but never troubled Fitzgibbon. Everton settled down the better and on the quarter of an hour mark Everton won a free kick when Anton Forrester was fouled but Miles again conceded the corner which Everton failed to make count. Eric Dier hit a free kick 5 minutes later from an amazing 40 yards that went over the bar.
Everton’s dominance paid off on 21 minutes when Chris Long hit a screamer into the top right hand corner giving Miles no chance and give Everton a deserved lead. 5 minutes later and a good move involving goalscorer Chris Long and Ryan Higgins down the right ended up where Long’s shot was saved well by Miles. Ryan Higgins defensive qualities paid off when he had to chase back a ball that he had lost whilst Spurs were attacking which showed a lot of maturity and ambition to win this fixture.
On 38 minutes, Ryan Higgins went on a run and using his strength and speed he managed to cut inside and shoot with his effort only missing the post narrowly.
The last 5 minutes saw Spurs step up a gear and finish the half stronger searching for an undeserved equaliser which never came. Kevin Sheedy must have been happy with the first half showing as the visitors went in with a goal lead.
Half Time Tottenham U18’s 0 Everton U18’s 1
The pitch got a watering at half time as both teams got their refreshments and instructions. Everton kicked off the second half with the same eleven but Spurs made a change taking off Lee Angol and replacing him with Freddy Champion
Spurs showed more urgency in the opening stages and after 50 minutes Fitzgibbon in the Everton goal had to be on his toes when Dier played a bad ball into the host’s path only for the keeper to save the blushes of his team mate. Thomas attacked for the visitors on 55 minutes and a very good cross from the left was accurate for Long to head home but somehow ducked and the ball went out, whether Long had thought he had heard a shout but it was strange
On the hour another promising attacking run down the right and played a one two with Forrester who shot but Miles somehow miss kicked but Everton still lead by that one goal.
Tottenham were looking the better of the two sides second half without posing any threat on Everton’s goal but Higgins showed his qualities once again chasing back and retrieve possession with a Spurs attack.
Long and Forrester this time linked up well as Everton took advantage but Forrester played an unselfish ball into his colleagues path only for Long looking to double his tally shooting well over the bar.
As Spurs were showing desperate signs of getting back into the game Everton’s defence on a few occasions had to show their worth and clear some danger from the 18 yard box as the pressure mounted from their north London hosts.
Everton replaced Long on 70 minutes with schoolboy Danny O’Brien, Jasper Johns made a bad mistake for the visitors playing his team into serious trouble as Spurs ached for an equaliser.
With 15 minutes remaining Spurs made a double substitution replacing Michael-Percil and Kenneth McEvoy with Oliver Modiste and Victor Zapata Caicedo. Everton were having to deal with several assaults down the right and Everton defended stoutly as Spurs went to level things.
Danny O’Brien sealed the game for Everton with 10 minutes left as a combination with Forrester whose turn on the edge of the 6 yard box and shielding the ball well laid it into the path of O’Brien to slot low to his right. This set Spurs back even more believing at this point they should have been at least level
Arms greeted the air as the full time whistle sounded, Everton got a good win under their belts and now have a home game next week against Reading at Finch Farm.
There were some good displays from the team for a man of the match award but Anton forrester just edges it. One to watch out for is Gethin Jones who is only 15 years of age this boy is going to be breathtaking.
Full Time Tottenham U18’s 0 Everton U18’s 2
Tottenham Hotspurs : Miles, Percil ( Zapata Caiceido( 70)Ward, Tapping, Ekong, McLean (c) McEvoy ( Modiste (70), Ball, Angol Champion( 46), Lameiras, Coulthirst Unused Subs Granger (GK,) Smith
Everton : Fitzgibbon, Penington, Touray, Heneghan, Dier (c), Higgins, Thomas, Johns, Long, ( O’Brien 70) Forrester. Unused Subs Roberts (GK), Shannon, Langton.
Match officials Mr A Inglethorpe, Mr J Mcdermott , Mr A Harris