Everton: Ruddy, Densmore, Molyneux, Irving, Hughes, Phelan, Connor, Vidarsson, Agard, Kissock, Kearney

Bench: Morrison, Jones, Elder, Harpur, Spencer

Scorers: Vidarsson, Hughes

First half strikes from Bjarni Vidarsson and Yozzer Hughes gave the Blues a two nil lead, before sloppy defending and a penalty allowed Bolton to come back into the game. The far more experienced Bolton side containing ex Blue Idan Tal and ex England keeper and Mike's lad Ian Walker still found it hard to contain a lively Blues side, who could and should have had more goals in the first period.

Their misses came back to haunt them in the second period when poor defending allowed Mark Charlesworth to head in from close range. John Ruddy then conceded a penalty to allow Tal to pull the teams level, and it is no more than Bolton deserved on their second half showing.

Andy Holden although disappointed to throw a two goal lead away, can be heartened by the fact that his under strength reserve side held the lead against the far more experienced visitors, before succumbing under the inevitable pressure.

Northern Wasteland

Driving through Widnes the other day I came across a rather sad sight. Now some would say which one, but the sight I am referring to is the old chemical humps and bumps of the St Michaels Municipal golf course. Now, I haven’t played there for about 10 years and was aware that it had been closed down due to some problem with the ground and soil, allegedly. No surprise there then! This was my first sighting of this place, post-golf course, and it really was a weird site to behold. Overgrown, shapeless, returning to its former self. A lump of land with no apparent reason to be. Abandoned.

Forward to Tuesday evening, and just across the road from this ghost-course, there was reason to believe that there could also be abandonment. With the rain pelting down and the wind whooping and whistling through the empty seats and steel, and with Santa Claus preparing to come to town in his Ark, there was every chance of a postponing of this fixture if the weather continued its wild abandon! The fixture between the beautiful Blues and the Pigs trotters would have to be rescheduled.

As it turned out, the game would go ahead, and the 468 damp and wind-swept fanatics huddled together in the main stand would be treated to an entertaining evening of football.

The game was 8 minutes old when a nice whippy cross from the robust Lee Molyneux caught out the Pigs and the wonderfully christened Bjarni Vidarsson nodded home. 1-0 Things got better soon enough when the new scoring sensation Mark Hughes notched his fourth of the season. Not bad for a defender! He could be the new Derek Mountfield! 2-0. That was the situation at half time. The Blues were full value for that too.

I spent half-time pondering the future of the explosive and talented James Vaughan, whose two previous games I reported on here. He was very much the determined kid on the comeback trail. It was very satisfying for me, and I’m sure legions of Blues worldwide to see him finish off West Ham on Sky TV last Sunday afternoon. What he did there at Goodison he looked capable of doing during his outings for the Rezzies on these windy Widnes evenings. He indeed seems to be on his way back to Premiership town.

Anyway, as the second half began I looked out across the floodlit field and wondered if there’s anyone out there tonight who has what it takes to Move on up to the Big League? Mark Hughes certainly is a strong possible, and wouldn’t it be nice to have a world class Icelandic doing the business for the Blues. Though with a name like his he might get side tracked to Mastermind!

The Pigs Trotted their way back into the game after an hour. Both teams had been making speculative offerings but on the hour Notlob just about managed to scrawp the ball into Ruddy’s net. Things got worse on the three quarter hour mark when one of our old boys, and a decent player who played here many times in our noble cause, Idan Tal, crashed home a dubiously awarded penalty.

A few chances near the end, particularly a header from the trots which came off the bar, but, that was it. 2-2. And a good show it was from our boys in Blue, as they were up against an experienced strong side who were liberally sprinkled with salty old campaigners. So, off into another wild night on the upland banks of the Mersey to contemplate the future times of our baby Blues. The Blue Surfer. (06/12/06)

Only Mark Hughes is available with first team experience for the rezzies as they entertain Bolton in Widnes this evening. With Moyesy's injury crisis now hitting home, Dickie Wright, Big Vic and Vaughany will all be kept fresh for the trip to Pompey this weekend. Academy player Kieran Agard who lead the line after stepping up from the U'18's.

Bolton however will have first team experience to hand in the form of Ricardo Gardner, Ricardo Vaz Te, and ex Blue Idan Tal.

Everton From: Ruddy, Densmore, Molyneux, Irving, Hughes, Phelan, Connor, Vidarsson, Agard, Kissock, Kearney, Morrison, Jones, Elder, Harpur, Spencer.