Everton Under-21s missed the chance to move level with the teams at the top of the league table after suffering a 4-0 defeat away at Tottenham Hotspur on Monday afternoon.
All the goals were scored before half-time as the Young Blues were punished by a clinical Spurs attack.
David Unsworth’s side improved after the break but they had left themselves with much too work to do after a disappointing first-half performance.
Tottenham had their noses ahead as early as the fifth minute when striker Shaquile Coulthirst cut in from the right and found the bottom corner with a drive from the edge of the area.
Blues keeper Russell Griffiths then did well to tip a free-kick from Grant Ward over the bar but there was little he could do when the home side doubled their lead after a quarter of an hour through left-back Connor Ogilvie, who finished off a well-worked move.
Coulthirst then grabbed his second after being played in by Ruben Lameiras, who had won possession in midfield.
Spurs ruthlessly made it 4-0 just after the half-hour mark when Lameiras scored from the spot after being upended inside the area by Francisco Junior.
Everton tried to respond and Michael Donohue saw a shot saved by Tottenham goalkeeper Luke McGee before the break.
The Young Blues were sent out for the second half early by coach Unsworth, who made two substitutions. Curtis Langton and Callum Dyson were introduced in place of Ryan Ledson and Callum Connolly as Everton switched to three at the back.
The second-half showing from Everton was improved – but they had simply left themselves with too much to do.
Galloway, who had shifted to left wing-back, surged forward and almost created an opening for Kieran Dowell, while George Green – Everton’s third and final change – looked bright when he came on for the final 30 minutes.
The forward almost robbed McGee of the ball after hesitation at the back from the hosts and then, in the dying minutes, he blazed a free-kick over the bar.
Tottenham’s best chances of the second half fell to South African international defender Bongoli Khumalo and Ward, with neither able to hit the target.
Everton Under-21s must now dust themselves down and go again on Thursday when they tackle Sunderland in a match they must win to be in with a chance of progressing through to the quarter-finals of the Premier League International Cup.
Tottenham Under-21s: McGee, McQueen, Ogilvie, McEneff, Khumalo, Lesniak, Lameiras (Akindayini 65), Winks, Coulthirst, Ward, Miller (Subs not used: Miles, Muscatt, Paul, Daly).
Everton Under-21s: Griffiths, Jones, Connolly (Langton 46), Ledson (Dyson 46), Kenny, Galloway, Lundstram, Junior, Dowell, Donohue (Green 62), Henen. (Subs not used: Hunt, Walsh)
