Sheffield Wednesday kicked off the 1st half playing down the slope with Everton attacking the end with the enormous Hillsborough stadium in the background and sporting their bright pink kit. and playing with a 4-4-2 formation. It was a warm morning with the sun shining and conditions looked good for football. Eric Dier was making his debut in defence wearing the number 5 shirt playing alongside Daniel Murphy
The Owls made the running for the first couple of minutes when in the 5th minute Luke Dobie played Hope through and Everton had a good shout for a penalty as it looked like Hope had been brought down but the ref waved play on and having none of it. On 8 mins Hope got brought down again outside the area and a free kick by Tom Donegan was met with a header by Jake Bidwell but not enough power on it to trouble Sean Cuff in the Wednesday net but the linesman flagged offside
A minute later Hallam Hope got out through down the right hand side and slicing a glorious chance wide of the goal, then Wednesday decided to go forward and broke through the midfield but Everton cleared any sign of danger. It was Everton’s turn to go forward this time and Jordan Barrow put a lovely ball over from the right and Hope tried an overhead kick which came of a Wednesday defender to go out for the corner. The corner was taken on the left from Donegan but came to nothing.
On the 15 minute mark Wednesday got a corner from the left and as the ball went into the box there looked to be a clash of heads with Jake Bidwell and an Owls player. Both players stayed down and the physios from both clubs were waved on immediately by Mr Midgley the Referee and both sets of players walked to their respective dug out to refresh themselves with liquids as treatment was taking place. Bidwell had to come straight off and his opponent seemed to be okay and Bidwell was taken straight to the dressing room for extensive treatment with what looked a very bad cut on his forehead and blood was evident. Everton responded straight away with a substitution and having to reshuffle the pack. Ryan Higgins went to the left back position and Jordan Barrow who started on the right hand side of midfield dropping to the right back slot. Adam Thomas wearing the number 14 jersey went onto the right hand side of midfield and the ref proceeded with a drop ball and the opposition gentlemanly kicked the ball back to Fitzgibbon in the Everton goal
Midway through the first half Danny Murphy powered a header into the path of Anton Forrester and again nothing came of it as the teams looked evenly matched. On 28 mins Dobie made a good run on the left hand side and Wednesday conceded another corner and as the corner came over the Owls cleared their lines, then again Everton came forward and Dobie drove a shot in which Cuff parried. On the half hour Wednesday won a free kick taken from the right and Barrow cleared
Everton attacked down the left on 32 mins when the cross came over and straight over the goal and out of play. Everton seemed to be getting on top when in the John Lundstram who was called up for England under 17’s this week played a delightful ball to Hope who then in turn passed to Adam Thomas to cross and was intercepted and went out of play for another corner which Donegan took but there was another collision in the box which an Owls defender needed treatment but all was okay.
On 35 mins Barrow knocks a fine ball on to Lundstram who has a half chance but fails to covert. Everton looked more likely to score opposed to their hosts and only seconds later Dobie makes a run down the left who plays a lovely ball into Forrester’s path who smashes it into the net and what a deserved goal it was too. On 40 mins Everton pressed yet again and looking confident when Thomas down the right sprints and his effort was blocked to win yet another corner which unfortunately was disappointing. Everton seemed to be taking this game by the scruff of the neck and certainly had the Yorkshire men on the ropes and on 41 Forrester this time moves down the right and Wednesday block the effort for a corner to be taken by Donegan but Cuff gathers the ball unchallenged. Forrester had the ball in the net on 43 when Thomas plays a delightful ball to him only for the assistant ref on the far side to have his flag raised. Not happy with a one goal advantage the visitors had a shot blocked by Donegan but it paid off for them when on the stroke of half time Thomas goes down the right who plays to Higgins and then a first time pass to Lundstram makes no mistake and wedges a cushion in-between the sides to go in at the break deservedly 2 goals to the good. Half Time Sheffield Wednesday U18’s o Everton 2
Everton resume the 2nd half kicking down the slope and not making any changes at the break and looking to carry on where they left off, on 49 mins Hope goes on a run and a swift dribble before laying the ball to Donegan who hits a snap shot just going narrowly wide of the left hand post and within a minute Everton go further in front when Forrester this time down the left pulls the ball to Hope who drives in a shot leaving Cuff with only the task of retrieving the ball form the net once again and just after that Forrester miscues a shot which would have doubled his tally but Everton were giving the Owls no chance of any comeback as it wasn’t possible with the Toffees so much in control and not looking to concede as Wednesday offered no threat and attacks from them were rare and when they did get into the box the defence looking composed with the debutant Dier in control and comfortable on the ball
On 57 mins and as Everton had the ball they always looked they were likely to pose a threat and Thomas picks the ball up in his own half as the Owls don’t close him down and just runs with ease into the home teams penalty area keeping focused and puts the ball into Cuff’s right hand side of the goal and this was certainly the best goal of the game. So a 4-0 margin with 23 minutes to go and how many more was there to come as it was looking embarrassing for the Wednesdayites
Not satisfied wit h four Forrester makes a goal for himself by going around the keeper to slot home number 5 and then Everton decide to make a change by taking off Hope and introducing Chris Long.
The backs must be up for Wednesday has they made a rare attack and on 64 mins an effort whistled past the post not giving Fitzgibbon any concern who couldn’t have had an easier afternoon. On 71 mins the toffees increased their lead when a Barrow free kick was met with a header by Murphy who rose majestically to score yet another goal and now 6-0 up away from home which was thoroughly deserved
A minute later the Owls hit a shot from long range and considering Fitzgibbon had nothing to do made a fine save and took it well On 73 Everton replace Barrow with Jasper Johns and he slots into the left back role. The home side were doing all they could to restore their pride when on 81 Dier got penalised for a foul and from a resulting free kick the shot was well over the top of the sticks which summed up their afternoon and I think they couldn’t wait for Mr Midgley to blow up for full time. Everton passed the ball round nicely which frustrated the home team and towards the closing minute s Dobie plays the ball to Forrester who tries to increase his tally but the ball goes wide. On 90 mins Wednesday broke but looked offside but play goes on as the assistant ref keeps his flag down but Fitzgibbon saves and it goes out for a rare Wednesday corner which resulted in nothing for them and to the Owls delight the ref blew his whistle for full time which was a bad day all round for the Sheffield teams as the U16’s played on the next pitch and from going behind the visitors put6 in their net to as it put more misery onto them. Contenders for Man of the match were Dier, Forrester, Donegan but I gave it to Luke Dobie who tell s me he’s going to join Sunderland on Monday as they have offered him a pro deal so good luck to him
Team as follows
1 Fitzgibbon
2 Higgins
3 Bidwell (Thomas 15)
4 Murphy
5 Dier
6 Lundstram
7 Donegan
8 Barrow (Johns 72)
9 Hope (Long 60
10 Forrester
11 Dobie
Unused subs Davies and Hammar
Ref Mr DS MIdgley and assistant refs Mr C Grundy and Mr S. Lazenby
