alan ball
Player Valuation: £70m
SUNDERLAND RES 0 EVERTON RES 1
A 66th minute close range effort from Jose Baxter sealed the points for Everton last night and inflicting a first defeat on the Black Cats since Liverpool beat them in late November to extend Everton’s unbeaten run to 7 games.
At Eppleton welfare Colliery messrs Stubbs and Bertschin fielded young sides as Everton were hoping to improve on their last outing in the Mini Derby 9 days before.
Assistant coach Davie Weir made his second appearance for the Toffees playing alongside Eric Dier in defence.
Jose Baxter was looking lively in the early stages of the game with Wilson in the Sunderland goal being called upon.
From a Barkley corner Wilson made a key save from Baxter with a thumping shot that Wilson had to show his athleticism to push the ball away.
The blues had the luck on their side as the home side were getting forward but the final ball was always a let down for them.
Adam Davies the Everton keeper was also called upon and also had to be on his toes to block a shot from Noble after Armstrong had found an opening past the Everton defence but the young rookie held his nerve.
Not long after that, the blues avoided a scare as the home side broke and again Noble was the menace as he hit the side netting after receiving the through ball, Jordan Cook also had an effort that went close.
Then first 30 minutes of the half were pretty even and not much to choose between the sides.
Everton were quite content on keeping possession and breaking as to when they could with Baxter being the most impressive.
HALF TIME
SUNDERLAND RES 0 EVERTON RES 0
Everton restarted the second half with a lot more about them also going close on two occasions inside the first ten minutes.
Vellios had a shot that just went narrowly wide of Wilson’s post and McAleny found his way inside the Sunderland box then tested Wilson who bravely stopped a close range effort to prevent his side from going behind, Everton were really looking lively at this point.
Still at 0-0 and with 24 minutes left on the clock it was captain for the evening Jose Baxter that found the breakthrough from close range to jab the ball past the helpless Wilson and put Alan Stubbs’s team ahead.
Everton once in front composed themselves demonstrating a spirit not to throw away their lead although the home side did step it up and also introducing changes in order to level the game.
Everton certainly frustrated the opposition as they missed a number of chances with Cook again going close for the home side as he almost scored in the first half was cruelly denied to see his shot saved once again by Davies.
FULL TIME
SUNDERLAND RES 0 EVERTON RES 1
Sunderland: Wilson, Marrs, Callaghan, Gorrin (Mitchell 71), Bagnall, Watson, Cook, Armstrong (Elliot 60), Tounkara (Laidler 71), Noble, Deacon. Unused Subs: Oliver, King (GK)
Coach Keith Bertschin
Everton: Davies, Browning, Touray, Weir, Dier, Junior, Kelly (Grant 33), Barkley, Baxter, McAleny (Forrester 92) Vellios (Hope 80). Unused Subs: Roberts(GK), Pennington
Coach Alan Stubbs
A 66th minute close range effort from Jose Baxter sealed the points for Everton last night and inflicting a first defeat on the Black Cats since Liverpool beat them in late November to extend Everton’s unbeaten run to 7 games.
At Eppleton welfare Colliery messrs Stubbs and Bertschin fielded young sides as Everton were hoping to improve on their last outing in the Mini Derby 9 days before.
Assistant coach Davie Weir made his second appearance for the Toffees playing alongside Eric Dier in defence.
Jose Baxter was looking lively in the early stages of the game with Wilson in the Sunderland goal being called upon.
From a Barkley corner Wilson made a key save from Baxter with a thumping shot that Wilson had to show his athleticism to push the ball away.
The blues had the luck on their side as the home side were getting forward but the final ball was always a let down for them.
Adam Davies the Everton keeper was also called upon and also had to be on his toes to block a shot from Noble after Armstrong had found an opening past the Everton defence but the young rookie held his nerve.
Not long after that, the blues avoided a scare as the home side broke and again Noble was the menace as he hit the side netting after receiving the through ball, Jordan Cook also had an effort that went close.
Then first 30 minutes of the half were pretty even and not much to choose between the sides.
Everton were quite content on keeping possession and breaking as to when they could with Baxter being the most impressive.
HALF TIME
SUNDERLAND RES 0 EVERTON RES 0
Everton restarted the second half with a lot more about them also going close on two occasions inside the first ten minutes.
Vellios had a shot that just went narrowly wide of Wilson’s post and McAleny found his way inside the Sunderland box then tested Wilson who bravely stopped a close range effort to prevent his side from going behind, Everton were really looking lively at this point.
Still at 0-0 and with 24 minutes left on the clock it was captain for the evening Jose Baxter that found the breakthrough from close range to jab the ball past the helpless Wilson and put Alan Stubbs’s team ahead.
Everton once in front composed themselves demonstrating a spirit not to throw away their lead although the home side did step it up and also introducing changes in order to level the game.
Everton certainly frustrated the opposition as they missed a number of chances with Cook again going close for the home side as he almost scored in the first half was cruelly denied to see his shot saved once again by Davies.
FULL TIME
SUNDERLAND RES 0 EVERTON RES 1
Sunderland: Wilson, Marrs, Callaghan, Gorrin (Mitchell 71), Bagnall, Watson, Cook, Armstrong (Elliot 60), Tounkara (Laidler 71), Noble, Deacon. Unused Subs: Oliver, King (GK)
Coach Keith Bertschin
Everton: Davies, Browning, Touray, Weir, Dier, Junior, Kelly (Grant 33), Barkley, Baxter, McAleny (Forrester 92) Vellios (Hope 80). Unused Subs: Roberts(GK), Pennington
Coach Alan Stubbs
