City Draw in Widnes

Everton FC Reserves 1 - 1 MCFC Reserves

Both teams played some good football, but with City always having the spare man in midfield they will have statistically the lion's share of possession. The trouble was, although they made good use of their width, there was never a target man to aim at in the box when the cross came in.

City did put some good pressure on Everton in corners however with both Ashley Grimes and Nathan D'Laryea both having chances in the opening spells.

City's goalkeeper, Joe Hart did well to save James Vaughan's well struck shot.

The game was very competitive and there were a few late tackles from both sides but the referee dealt with things quite well.

City took the lead coming up to the hour mark when a short throw in eventually came to grimes on the edge of the area about twenty yards out and he curled a peach of a shot around Iain Turner in the Everton goal.

City started to sit back a bit then and invited the pressure that Everton forced. So it was no suprise that Everton equalized just over ten minutes after Grimes had scored from a close range header from Mark Hughes at the fourth attempt after the shots were blocked or cleared of the line three times in quick succession.

City seemed to make a strange tactical change to bring Paul Marshall on to replace Adam Clayton who was obviously injured as he went straight down the tunnel, but the innefectual Marc Laird would have been far better playing wide left or right than Marshall that has the energy to drive up and down the park in the centre.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.