Everton 2, Aston Villa 2. / Tue 18th Nov. 2003. / Atten: Loads/ @ Haig Ave, Southport. / Kick-Off: 7.00pm

Everton: Turner, Wynne, Wilson, Clarke, Gerrard, Li Tie, Alexandersson, Moogan(A), Jeffers, Chadwick, Osman.

Bench: Pascucci (Chadwick 88), Gallagher, Barry, Fox, Hughes.

Goalscorers: Ridgewell (og 9 mins), Jeffers (17 mins)

by
Derek Welsby

Villa came to the match as league leaders but with blues having a game in hand this was a chance to gain some ground on the teams above us.

The game less than 2 minutes old and after blues first attack breaks down Stephen Moore opens the scoring easily beating Clarke in the area and prod past Turner.
A minute later Alexandersson rode his luck through 2 tackles!!! ( that's right tackles) then laid it into Chadwick's path on the edge of the area but the attempt at goal ended up in a neighbours garden in Haigh Avenue, if it had been a different time of the year it could have ruined an alfresco dinner party. The next attack sparked by the lively Cooke was cleared from way inside his own half by Clarke and as the ball bounced deep in the Villa half and with Jeffers putting pressure on Ridgwell and with the Villa keeper approaching to assist his defender( ?), Ridgewell expertly lobbed his own keeper to level the scores at 1-1.
The game was toing and froing with both teams getting shots in at goal. Wynne gave away a foul 20 yards out and direct from the free kick the shot was unconvincingly turned out for a corner by Turner. During Villa's next attack Clarke was booked for leading with the elbow and catching Ward flush in the chin.
Blues then almost created a decent chance but the through ball by Evans was just too far ahead of Li Tie in the area and the ball skimmed out for a goal kick.Then immediately from the goalkick a sloppy midfield pass from Moogan almost let in the Villa attack but it came to nothing. The next attack saw Jeffers who had looked lively from the start gain a yard on Ridgewell who since his own goal had been having a torrid time, just when it seemed the defender would bet back to cut Jeffers off the blues forward held in off and pushed the ball past the Villa keeper from 8 yards and give the blues a 2-1 lead.
After the first 15 minutes being so lively the next 15 was extremely scrappy with a couple of clearances from both sides ending up either in the local college ( understandable as that side of the ground has no stand), or less understandably over the stand at the Haigh Avenue side of the ground, potentially denting some expensive cars outside.
In the last 5 mins of the first half Stefan Moore was yellow carded, no big surprise as during the previous fifteen minutes he had fouled 2 of the blues defence and the referee had warned him.
In the few minutes of the first half Wynne picked up the ball 30 yards out and tore through the Villa defence on the right wing and turned the ball back 10 yards across the area and went through a posse of blue shirts and should have been converted for a goal but ended up going for a corner. From the Moogan spot kick a powerful Gerrard header was convincingly held by Postman.
Before the half time whistle blew Villa had successive corners unconvincingly defended before Stefan Moore headed into Turners arms for the last action of the first half.

H.T Blues 2-1 up.

No changes to the line ups at the start of the second half to either side. In the first 10 mins of the second half all the decent attacking options where coming through blues and a good through ball to Osman just could not be controlled otherwise he would have had a clear run on goal. Gerrard was playing better as the game was progressing after a nervy opening 10 minutes to the game.
A deep cross by Wilson beat everyone including the keeper at the near post but the Villa defence put it behind for a corner.
The one attack Villa had at this stage lead to a goal saving tackle on the edge of the box by Peter Clarke when Stefan Moore was just about to pounce ..
Everton then had two corners in quick succession one caused by a fine lay off by jeffers to Osman who had his shot deflected and one by a fine cross by Wynne which the Villa defence had to push behind.
Lie Tie broke up a Villa attack deep in his own half and set up Chadwick who sprinted deep into the opponents half and with Jeffers free on the left side of the attack a decent ball would have put Jeffers through one on one with the keeper but unfortunately Chadwick's ball was overhit and the through ball forced Jeffers too wide and although he reached the ball on the left touchline the resulting attack came to nothing.
Villa then made their first substitution and brought on Balaban for Ward. Within a minute Villa had won a corner. The blues had several chances to clear but from 8 yards out Balaban prodded through a crown of static blue defenders to equalise with his first touch.
With less than ten minutes to go Everton had several more chances but none of them clear cut. However Ridgwell the Villa centre half somehow in open play found himself 10 yards out but couldn't get his shot on target.
Everton withdrew Chadwick in the last 5 minutes for our Pascucci,he showed several nice touches(pity about the alice head band). No more goalmouth action and the match ended 2-2.

Not a bad overall display and with several young lads doing o.k, Garrard and Wynne in particular and Jeffers looking well ready for a first team shirt especially with Campbell and Ferguson apparently not match fit maybe Moyesy will give him a start this weekend.

By Lavington

Aston Villa's second eleven came into this fixture having dropped only four points out of the last thirteen matches, and it looked like they would stretch that impressive run when with just a minute on the clock Villa midfielder Stephen Cooke hammered home his shot after good work from the much talked about Luke Moore. Minutes later keeper Turner saved bravely at the feet of the other Moore brother Stefan to stop what looked like a certain goal.This kicked Everton out of their slow start, and on 9 minutes they found themselves level when Ridgewell lobbed his own keeper with Franny bearing in on goal. Jeffers looked sharp, and eight minutes later scored himself, when he fired a low shot into the corner of the net, after good work by Alexandersson. This was unfortunate on a very impressive Villa side who looked by far the more dangerous side, but Turner who is looking every bit one for the future kept them at bay on several occasions.

Half Time: Everton 2, Aston Villa 1.

Villa started the second half, as they finished the first, by far the more dominant side, but it still took them till the 70th minute to pull level, when Hynnes unleashed a shot from twenty yards plus into Turner's net. At this stage the game had all the ingredients that make a good cup tie, as it could have swung either way. Everton debutante Stephen Wynne looked sharp, and had one or two dangerous runs down the right hand side, but decent crosses by the youngster were not met by players with far more experience than himself. In fact with minutes left on the clock Jeffers spurned an excellent opportunity to seal all three points for Andy Holden's men, when he fired straight at the keeper from close range. The draw was a good result for The Blues as for most of the match they were second best, but at least our unbeaten run now stretches to six games.

Full Time: Everton 2, Aston Villa 2.

Team News

Everton go in search of revenge after a 6-2 thumping at the hands of Villa's second string earlier in the season. Franny Jeffers is a certain starter as he goes in search of goals, and a squad place for Saturday's visit of Wolves. Alexandersson, Li Tie and Clarke are also in the squad, but Brian Moogan who has impressed this season misses out through injury. His replacement is 16 year old Stephen Wynne who looks like making his reserve team debut.

Everton from: Turner, O'Hanlon, Unsworth, Clarke, Weir, Nyarko, Osman, Chadwick, Pascucci, Jeffers, Schumacher, Gallagher, A Moogan, Gerrard, Symes, Li Tie, Alexandersson, Wynne.

Jogger's Snapshots | Young Toffees | Sting Ray | Sausage's Sandwiches 
Cod Pieces | Captain Haddock | Look-A-Likes | Tomorrow's Chip Papers  Top Toffee Ale 'ouses| Home

e-mail bluekipper.com