A LATE equaliser forced Everton under-18s to settle for a point in a 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Neil Dewsnip’s looked to be heading for another victory in their quest to finish top of the Group C table when they led 2-1 through an own goal and a John Lundstram effort with just two minutes left. But Boro’s late effort denied them.
Middlesbrough had knocked Everton out of the Youth Cup earlier this year and they also took the lead on Saturday. Jordan Barrow has hit the bar with a lob, but then Everton defender Eric Dyer gave away a penalty after 20 minutes. The Boro forward made no mistake with his spot-kick.
Lundstram, Hallam Hope – who also hit the bar from long range, and Anton Forrester all went close to an equaliser as Everton dominated the remainder of the first half.
And it was Hope’s persistence that caused panic in the home defence and forced an own goal to help Everton draw level following Barrow‘s low cross.
Then 10 minutes into the second half Lundstram fired Everton into the lead. Everton strike-duo Hope and Forrester both had chances to increase the lead but they were made to pay for their profligacy.
With just two minutes remaining the hosts drew level. But in injury time Everton almost went back ahead when Tom Donegan forced a superb save from the home keeper after being set up by Lundstram and Forrester saw his follow-up cleared off the line.
Dewsnip said: “We definitely should have won. We had numerous chances, obviously we scored a couple but we missed a lot which was disappointing.”
He added: “It was really frustrating. The lesson we have learned is that when you are playing well and dominating you have to take your chances and kill teams off because there is always the potential for a sting in the tail. That is what happened to us.”
Everton will bid to stay ahead of the chasing pack when they take on Sunderland at Finch Farm this Saturday (kick-off 11am).
EVERTON UNDER-18s: Fitzgibbon, Higgins, Murphy, Dyer, Toure, Barrow, Donegan, Lundstram, Thomas, Hope (Johns 70), Forrester. Subs: Heneghan, Harris, Waring.
