Antony Gardner makes debut in Everton reserves defeat

Mar 4 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

LOAN signing Anthony Gardner made his first appearance in a Blue shirt but was unable to prevent Everton from crashing to a 3-0 defeat on Tyneside.

Newcastle United took the lead early on Everton defender John Irving got himself into all sorts of trouble before putting the ball past his own keeper Iain Turner, who was returning from injury.

Everton had chances of their own through Kieran Agard and Aidan Downes and were still in the game before Magpies striker Andy Carroll scored twice in the last five minutes to seal victory for the home side.

On 85 minutes Jonny Godsmark crossed for Carroll to fire home from the edge of the box.

Deep into injury-time the big Geordie headed home a Doninger corner to give a somewhat flattering look to the scoreline.

EVERTON RES: Turner, Densmore, Gardner, Irving, Dennehy, Gosling, Rodwell, Harpur, Morrison, Downes, Agard Subs: Jones, O'Kane, Sinnot, Baxter, Codling

NEWCASTLE RES: Forster, Edgar, Lough, Doninger, Tozer, Kadar, Godsmark, Troisi, Carroll, Baheng, LuaLua, Subs: Zamblera, Soderberg, Donaldson, Francis, Marwood