Everton: Turner, Irving, Molyneux, Hughes, Dennehy, Connor, Phelan, Morrison, Kearney, Anichebe, Vaughan

Bench: Elder, Connor, Agard, McEntagart, Harpur, Densmore

Scorers: Yozzer Hughes

A 70th minute header from Yozzer Hughes earned the Blues a point against Man Shiitteh over in Widnes last night. Everton were second best for most of the evening, as a City side with a sprinkling of first team experience out witted Everton's second string.

City took the lead when Ashley Grimes placed his shot wide of Iain Turners right hand to give the visitors a well deserved lead. The Mancunians should have been at least two up by half time, but a combination of poor finishing, and good keeping by Iain Turner held them at bay.

So it was left to Yozzer to cap his fantastic week off with an equalising goal, to help Everton share the spoils with City. Jimmy Vaughan along with Yozzer found themselves in the refs notebook, in a game Everton done well to take a point from. (01/11/06)

A lot of illness in the Everton camp at the moment with the virus sweeping all before it, so a lot of very young Blues will be learning to fly tonight, earn their wings. Arriving at the Stadium, the storm force winds of earlier in the day had dissipated somewhat, and was I greeted pitch side by a whole group of mommas and their kids in Michael Jackson, Thriller mode. I wondered if the game will be as exciting.

Strolling out to the familiar strains of Z-Cars, Vaughan, the star of the last game here, and Anichebe were chatting away as the last men out. The stadium announcer read out the Man City team and to me he could have been reading names from a telephone book! They were names right enough Jim, but not as we know them!

A much subdued atmosphere here this night compared to the 5,500 gathering for the recent mini derby, and the game followed suit. City made the early thrust and really should have been 2 up, but for some super-poor finishing and fair keeping from Iain Turner. The game was being played out in funereal silence. The only noise emitting from the ground was coming from the square-jawed, Jerry Reed look-alike, City trainer who bellowed at his charges all night long. He sounded like a U-Boat commander giving the order to Dive, Dive, Dive! And that’s what his players spent a lot of the night doing!

James Vaughan was puffing a bit early on but made some good moves, and had a crisp shot on 24 minutes just tear past the goal. He also appeared to take a painful hit to the rib-cage which winded him for a moment or two. In gladiatorial style he was quickly back in the fray.

Just before h/t another agent of Thomas Cook showed up pitch-side to survey the scene. He was wearing one of those blonde bobs that Asa Hartford was famed for, was it him? Then I thought that maybe it wasn’t him after all. It was old Widnes connected Peter Barnes, another City boy and another one of the blonde bob. Nah it was neither of them, but maybe it was Tom Petty himself on this night of apparitions.
The king of the blonde bobs.

Anyway I digress, but you can probably tell that the football was hardly riveting! I then gazed skyward and mused about the fact that Halloween and Bommy night are now somehow merging into one, as bombs exploded colourfully overhead. Rockets Free Fallin’ from above. There was decidedly more action in the sky than on the velvety green grass of Halton stadium. So, at h/t it was 0-0 and looked as if it might remain that way. A fine move and shot on 50 minutes nearly gave Everton the lead and this seemed to get the game going. After it was announced that the attendance was a Jumbo Jet + 1,748 hardy souls, it looked like we were ready for Take-off!

Unfortunately it was Thomas Cook sponsored City who were flying first! On 58 minutes a cross field move and clever shot by Grimes netted Shitteh the lead. Everton were galvanized into action and Mark Hughes was the man in the firing line. He’d enjoyed a good game and it was about to turn eventful. He was getting a lot of encouragement, if that’s the right word, from Andy Holden who was right on his case from here on in! “Yozzzzerrrr became the rallying call from the Blue bench! And sure enough on 70 minutes there was an almighty scramble in the City box and at the end of it was Yozzers head! O yay, 1-1. What with a booking earlier and solid defending, not to mention induced earache, he had an action filled evening out!

James Vaughan nearly won it for the boys in Blue with a typical pick up and thunder ball shot. He ended his adventures for the evening by receiving a booking for what appeared to be a tremendous tackle, but subsequently deemed unlawful by the referee Coote.
With all Vaughan’s injury strife in the last year, and recent wrist set back I find his power play and robust style most admirable. As keen as English mustard, he is working very hard to get back where he belongs, at the Premier end of town.
This kid sure Won’t back Down. (02/11/06)

PRE MATCH

With a bout of the two bob bits doing the rounds at Goodison, Andy Holden has no real first team experience to call on against Man City tonight. Big Vic, Ian Turner and Yozzer Hughes can play for the second string but it will be a fairly inexperienced reserve side that take on City in Widnes at 7pm this evening.

James Vaughan will carry on his return to fitness, partnering Big Vic who will still be on a high still after his goal against Luton in the Cup last week, and no doubt they will be all out to impress Moyesy with the Arse in the Carling Cup next Wednesday night.

Everton From: Turner, Irving, Molyneux, Dennehy, Hughes, Phelan, Connor, Morrison, Anichebe, Vaughan, Kearney, Agard, McEntegart, Harpur, Elder, Densmore, Spencer.