Match by Match Reports

10^th December 1974

2^nd Round – Away at Preston North End

Won 3-1

Scorers – Sid Wallace, David Esser, Martin Mowatt

 

Match report from The Liverpool Echo

 

EVERTON YOUTH TEAM TOO GOOD FOR PRESTON

11^th DECEMBER 1974

There was no disputing Everton’s right to a home tie against Blackpool in the third round of the F.A. Youth Cup after their 3-1 defeat of Preston at Deepdale last night.

Everton were well on top at first and took the lead in the seventh minute through Sid Wallace, who placed a well-flighted shot over the head of the Preston goalkeeper.

Scottish youth international John Smith pulled one back for North End, after 23 minutes and the Everton defence with Mark Higgins, Tommy Sharp and David Jones in great form, withstood some pressure up to half-time.

On the resumption, Everton took command with David Essar, Wallace and Martin Mowatt too sharp for the Preston defence.

Esser restored Everton’s lead in the 62^nd minute with a well-taken goal after an error by the home goalkeeper, and Mowatt made sure of a victory four minutes later.

Everton’s Michael O’Halloran and Preston’s Mike Baxter were booked.

 

14^th January 1975

3^rd Round – Hone to Blackpool

Drew 0-0

 

Match report from the Liverpool Echo

 

YOUNG BLUES FAIL TO CASH IN

15^th JANUARY 1975

Everton lost the home advantage they gained in the draw for the third round of the F.A. Youth Cup when they were held to a 0-0 draw by Blackpool at Goodison Park last night (writes Paul O’Brien).

It was a game in which neither side held the advantage for long, with well disciplined defences able to snuff out most of the approach play.

Everton produced their best midway through each half. In the first period Coward, in the Blackpool goal, saved well to deny Higgins and then O’Halloran, while during the second period the home side forced four corners within a five-minute spell.

It was from the last of these that Coward made his best save of the half, stopping a powerful Higgins header at the second attempt from just under the bar.

The result could have been different if a shot by Esser, following a fine 35 yards run, had gone under rather than just over the bar five minutes before half-time. But generally, Everton’s small attackers were at a disadvantage in the air against the big, strong Blackpool defenders.

Brand, in the Everton goal, did what work came his way impressively, catching corner kicks cleanly under pressure; saving a snap close-range shot from Mick Betts; and advancing to the 18 yards line to tackle Mountfield when he broke clear.

Everton, whom I thought had a justifiable claim for a penalty when Edge was bundled off the ball in the area early in the game, broke well from defence, especially through Brogan.

 

4^th February 1975

3^rd Round Replay – Away at Blackpool

Won 1-0

Scorer – Mike O’Halloran

 

Match report from the Liverpool Echo

 

MIKE GRABS LATE CUP WINNER

5^th FEBRUARY 1975

Right winger Mike O’Hallorhan was the hero of the Everton youth team’s 1-0 victory at Blackpool last night, when his goal gave the Blues a fourth round F.A. Youth Cup away tie against Manchester United.

This third round replay looked destined to go to another match when in the fifth minute of the second half of extra time, O’Hallorhan popped up inside the Blackpool area to score with a low shot.

In a tense struggled, both sets of defenders always had the upper hand, but Everton had to thank their goalkeeper Andrew Brand for saving them in the second half of normal time.

He brought off two great saves from Micky Betts and Brian Wilson to keep Everton in the cup. Mark Higgins showed up well for Everton in the first half and John Brogan was strong in defence. Two Everton players, Neil Robinson and Martin Mowatt, were booked for fouls on Blackpool’s dangerous winger Billy Ronson.

 

11^th February 1975

4^th Round – Away at Manchester United

Won 1-0

Scorer – Tom Sharp

 

Match report from The Liverpool Echo

 

BRAND, SHARP INSPIRE BLUES

12^th FEBRUARY 1975

A goal three minutes from time at Old Trafford last night earned Everton a place in the last eight of the F.A. Youth Cup, when they beat Manchester United 1-0.

Centre back Tom Sharp grabbed the vital winner in a goalmouth melee. The home defence failed to clear and he jubilantly prodded the ball into the net and left Manchester no time to recover. But the real hero was goalkeeper Drew Brand.

He made a series of fine saves to thwart goal-hungry United, and in the end, his efforts were richly rewarded.

But this was a team effort, with Neil Robinson, Jim Brogan and Sharp giving Brand excellent sport when the Everton defence was pressurised.

The attacking was not confined to Manchester, for Nigel Groome had a chance in the opening minutes and Mike O’Halloran also went close.

Martin Mowatt was booked for a foul on Bielby.

After the game Everton’s youth development officer, Ray Minshull, said: “We fear no one in the competition. How can we, when we have already beaten Preston, Blackpool and now Manchester United, all away?”

Billy Bingham said: “It was a hard, difficult game. They had plenty of skills, but our defence was magnificent. I am delighted for the boys.”

Everton meet Huddersfield at Goodison Park in the fifth round.

 

11^th March 1975

5^th Round – Home to Huddersfield Town

Lost 1-2

Scorer – David Esser

 

Match Preview in the Liverpool Echo

 

Everton Youth, still involved in two cup competitions, meet Huddersfield at Goodison to-night (7:30) in the quarter-final of the F.A. Youth Cup. The winners meet Ipswich in the two-leg semi-final.

Everton still have to play the second leg of the Lancashire Youth Cup semi-final against Bolton after last week’s goalless draw. No date has been arranged yet.

EVERTON YOUTH.- Brand; (from) Brogan, Mowatt; Sharp, Higgins, Robinson; Balm, Groom, O’Halloran, Esser, Wallace, Wellings, Kelly.

 

Match report from The Liverpool Echo

 

LATE DOUBLE SINKS BLUES’YOUTH CUP HOPES

12^th MARCH 1975

BY PAUL O’BRIEN

Although they lost 2-1, with the winning goal coming just a minute from time, Everton can look back with some pride on their performance in the F.A. Youth Cup quarter-final against Huddersfield, at Goodison Park last night.

Faced with a side containing nine players who appeared in last season’s Youth Cup final, six of whom have had experience with Huddersfield’s Third Division side, Everton were at least as good as the visitors for two-thirds of the game.

Everton were denied two goals in the first half when full back Cooper was on the Huddersfield line to clear and after Sid Wallace and then David Esser had beaten England youth international goalkeeper Dick Taylor, but went ahead through Esser just 35 seconds into the second half.

The turning point came when Everton had a piece of good luck after 75 minutes. Goalkeeper Drew Brand, under pressure, punched the ball down to the feet of Huddersfield’s Barrett, whose shot hit Brand as he lay on the ground and was scrambled away.

The Huddersfield bench – including former Everton star Bobby Collins – sensed this was the time to send on striker Wayne Goldthorpe as substitute for Cooper, and it was a winning move.

Just over 2,000 spectators saw Goldthorpe stretch the Everton defence to its limits, enabling centre forward Bob Newton to take Huddersfield into the semi-final with goals in the 79^th and 89^th minutes.