EVERTON Under-18s continued their unbeaten start to the FA Premier Academy League season with a hard-earned point at Birmingham City on Saturday.

Following on from their 1-0 victory over Norwich in the first match of the campaign Neil Dewsnip’s side claimed a second clean sheet in as many matches.

Sadly they couldn’t make the breakthrough at the other end to claim all three points.

Everton almost grabbed a winning goal at the death when Conor McAleny got in behind the home defence and squared to former Southend midfielder Femi Orenuga, but he couldn’t hit the target and fired agonisingly over.

Dewsnip said: “The kick-off was delayed because we had to wait around for the first team to finish training. After the travelling and waiting it didn’t help us, and I’m sure it was similar for them. It was incredibly windy blowing across the pitch and the 16s were playing on the other pitch and their ball was always on our pitch. So the environment wasn’t conducive to good football and we didn’t get any.

“The conditions ruined it to be fair to the lads. It does happen once or twice a season and Saturday was one of those.

“It was a game of very few chances at either end. I can’t remember either goalkeeper making a significant save.”

Everton look to continue their unbeaten start when they face Newcastle United at Finch Farm this Saturday (kick-off 11am).

Dewsnip said: “It is a tasty game. We had a great game with them at the back end of last season. I know both teams will have changed dramatically since, but they are always really exciting games.”

EVERTON UNDER-18s: Roberts, Barrow, Murphy, Hammar, Bidwell, Cummins, Lundstram, Dobie (Thompson 80), Forrester (Orenuga 70), McAleny, Thomas. Subs: Higgins, Harris, Fitzgibbon.