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Post by Everton News. on Aug 19, 2023 5:52:49 GMT
A superb goal deep into added time from Mackenzie Hunt earned Everton Under-21s a 2-2 draw at Bishop Auckland against Middlesbrough on Friday night.
Paul Tait’s young players showed great character to come from two goals behind to deservedly earn their first point of the new season.
Time was ebbing away when Hunt picked up the ball on the edge of the box and he dummied his marker before cracking an unstoppable left-foot shot past the goalkeeper.
Speaking to evertonfc.com after the game, Tait reacted to the late drama and praised his players for a quality second-half showing.
“We told the players at half-time to keep the belief and stick to what we’d done in the first half,” said Tait. “I thought we deserved to win the game, the way we played. We controlled huge parts of the game and somehow, we came in two goals down at half-time.
“We tweaked the shape a bit when young Jack (Butler) tired. That helped us gain more control and it was just about whether we had the quality to get the next goal. And when you want quality, Mackenzie pops up with it! I thought he was outstanding in the second half.
“He and Ryan (Astley) make a difference with their experience. Ryan helped young Brad (Moonan), who I thought did really well. Bazza (Jack Barrett) was excellent in goal. He made a great save in the first half, and he really helped the lads around him with information.”
The Blues actually started the game the brighter of the two sides, but they gradually lost their way as the first half progressed.
Barrett did well early on to keep out a free header from Bryant Bilongo and then Everton proceeded to create the better of the openings.
A deep corner was volleyed goalwards by Hunt and Halid Djankpata wasn’t far away with an acrobatic effort, and a firm low drive from Jenson Metcalfe was saved by Nathan Fisher.
Francis Okoronkwo then came close with a header from a superb cross on the run from the right by Roman Dixon.
But from there, Boro took control of the opening period. Barrett made a terrific save to keep out an angled drive from Nathan Simpson and on 35 minutes the hosts opened the scoring.
Bilongo skipped past Astley on the left and delivered a pinpoint centre that Daniel Nkrumah nodded into the net from close range.
Seven minutes later it was 2-0 when a snapshot from Simpson found the top corner of the net.
If Paul Tait asked for a reaction at half-time, then he certainly got one. Everton halved the deficit in the 54th minute. Jenson Metcalfe delivered an excellent corner from the left and Okoronkwo timed his run to perfection to glance his header into the net.
Midway through the second period, Matty Apter was unfortunate to see Fisher stop his header from a great cross by Dixon as Everton continued to look the more threatening of the two sides.
The hard-working Okoronkwo did everything right inside the box to skilfully create a splendid opening for himself, but his composure deserted him, and he blazed his effort high over the bar.
On 73 minutes, Boro came within an ace of wrapping up the points when Simpson’s low effort struck the foot of the Everton post.
Everton never lost belief though and forced a plethora of late corners as they chased a leveller.
And just when it seemed as though all their valiant efforts would be in vain, Hunt produced his 92nd minute moment of magic.
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