Everton Under-21s 1 Manchester United Under-21s 2: Blues dominate but can't halt United title charge
Jonjoe Kenny's late penalty not enough to salvage a point at Southport
EVERTON under-21s were unable to halt the title charge of Manchester United tonight despite dominating large spells of the game.
The Blues’ second string were to looking to bounce back from last Monday’s night disappointing derby defeat against Liverpool but were undone by goals at either end of the first-half in Southport this evening.
Captain Jonjoe Kenny pulled one back from the penalty spot with five minutes remaining but the visitors held on to cement their place at the top of the table.
David Unsworth’s side bossed significant chunks of the game but struggled to convert their dominance in possession into many meaningful chances against the Premier League u-21 leaders.
Kenny’s spot-kick gave Everton a goal their efforts deserved but aside from the penalty, the home side struggled to penetrate a well organised United defence.
The impressive Brendan Galloway, pushing up the pitch from left-back, and David Henen were the Blues’ most threatening players on the night and combined well on a number of occasions.
But the visitors managed to snuff out most Everton attacks and despite a tense finale created by Kenny’s goal, they saw the game out to pick up the three points.
Everton had struggled to settle into the game early on and were punished by a United side who made a purposeful start.
Andreas Pereira had made a lively start and from the spoils of his goal-bound effort, James Wilson reacted quicker than Tyias Browning to make it 1-0 after nine minutes.
The Blues’ response, however, was excellent and for the next half an hour they were comfortably the better side in Southport.
Brendan Galloway, playing at left-back to accommodate Sylvain Distin in the middle of the defence, was leading the fightback with a powerful performance.
Aggressive in his pressing and surging in his runs forward Galloway, who turns 19 tomorrow, was helping the Blues control the league leaders.
David Henen was playing well as the lone striker but without reward while Liam Walsh, Francisco Junior and Ryan Ledson all began to have greater impact on the game as the half wore on.
Clear cut chances, however, were proving difficult to find although Henen tested Anders Lindegaard from distance before Ledson fired just over the bar from outside the area.
Fittingly, Everton’s best chance of the half fell to Galloway who exchanged passes with Henen but dragged his shot inches wide of the post with the United keeper beaten.
Unsworth will have been encouraged by his side’s play as half-time approached but soon all of their hard work was undone.
A mix up between goalkeeper Russell Griffiths and Browning from a corner allowed Paddy McNair to volley past Distin on the line to make it 2-0.
Everton remained on the front foot after the break but were finding United stubborn opposition.
Henen and Galloway were again working well together down the left but clear chances were thin on the ground.
A neat inter-change between substitute Kieran Dowell and Henen helped Everton make a rare breach of the United defence but, from an acute angle, the Belgian’s shot was saved by Lindegaard.
Kenny’s well taken penalty five minutes from time gave the Blues hope of an equaliser but United confidently made sure of the win.
EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Griffiths, Kenny, Browning, Distin, Galloway, Walsh (Dowell 55), Junior, Jones, Ledson, Green (Donohue 85), Henen. Subs: Hunt, Lundstram, Connolly.
Goals: Kenny (85)
Yellow cards: None
Red cards: None
By Phil Kirkbride / Echo
