Everton: Sean Lake, Sean Wright, Eddy Bosnar, Mark Hughes, Laurence Wilson, Christian Seargent, Bjarni Vidarsson, Guillaume Plessis, James Harris, Victor Anichebe, Paul Hopkins.

Bench: Craig Gallagher, Matthew Holt, Patrick Boyle for Bjarni Vidarsson (65m), Andrew Fowler, John Paul Kissock for Paul Hopkins (80m)

Goalscorer: Anichebe

Everton keeper Sean Lake kept the Blues in the game last night, producing a string of top draw saves to spare Everton's blushes. The youngster was in top form as the Blues were held to a draw by lowly Sunderland. Everton lost the lead early on in the game, when Lake was beaten by a powerful drive. Everton pressed looking for the equaliser and it nearly came seven minutes later, when an audacious overhead kick from Paul Hopkins went narrowly wide.

Everton's breakthrough came with the first half ticking away. Victor Anichebe fired home after some good work out wide from Christian Seargent, to bring the scores level. Everton pressed and Sunderland keeper Carson was having an equally impressive night as his Everton counterpart. It was down to the keepers that the scores remained as they were, both producing saves throughout the evening.

Everton introduced talked about 15 yr old John Paul Kissock, who found himself in the referees book after a late lunge. Honours even. (29/04/05)

Team News

Everton travel up to Sunderland for their penultimate match of a very impressive season. A season which has brought through James Vaughan into first team prominence, and pushed Andy Holden's very young squad into a top half position in the table. Once again Andy Holden fields youngsters not used to playing at this level. Fifteen year old John Paul Kissock will be among the subs. John was recently voted Young Sports Personality on Merseyside, so fingers crossed we have another star out of the Academy production line. (28/04/05)

Everton from: Lake, Wright, Wilson, Bosnar, Hughes, Harris, Seargeant, Plessis, Anichebe, Hopkins, Vidarsson, Boyle, Gallagher, Holt, Fowler, Kissock.