Match by Match Reports

4^th December 1979

2^nd Round – Away at Liverpool

Won 2-0

Scorers – Gary Stevens, Robbie Ash

 

Match preview from the Liverpool Echo

 

BRIGHT YOUNG TALENT ON SHOW

4^th DECEMBER 1979

Irish youth international Ronnie Whelan, who is making good progress in Liverpool’s reserve side, should be one of the lads to watch in the F.A. Youth Cup second round tie at Anfield to-night (7 p.m.) between Liverpool and Everton – the third time in successive years the clubs have met and this early stage of the competition.

Whelan, signed from Home Farm, Dublin, in September, is one of only two boys in the Liverpool side not local. The other is Nigel Fish, a Wolverhampton lad who leads the attack.

To-night’s tie should be “a great advertisement for the up and coming football talent on Merseyside.”

That’s how Everton’s youth development officer, Ray Minshull, described the prospects after naming his team.

He said: “Nine of our 12 players are from Merseyside, and I believe that Liverpool haven’t many outsiders in their squad. If both teams can play well and entertain, it’s a good sign for the future of both clubs.”

Everton’s side includes two survivors from the team that reached the semi finals last season – midfield man Paul Gardner and skipper Steve McMahon.

The three non-Merseysiders in the line-up are Robert Ash, who comes from the Midlands, Gary Stevens from Barrow, and Kevin Richardson from Newcastle.

Mike Imlach, son of former Everton coach Stewart Imlach, is also in the side, as is Phil Barton, whose elder brother David, was in the youth team last season and is now a Central League regular.

“It should be a great experience for all the youngsters.” said Mr. Minshull.

Honours are even between the bright young men of our two senior clubs. Liverpool won at Anfield two years ago, Everton won at Goodison a year ago. Liverpool lead the Lancashire League, Everton are second – it could hardly be more evenly matched.

Only the main stand of the ground will be open to-night, prices as for a reserve match. As the future first teamers off the clubs will be showing their potential, the lads deserve the encouragement of a good-sized crowd.

LIVERPOOL: Turner (N); Alman, Watson, Ward, Lee; Edwards, Hodder, Vascoe, Whelan; Foley, Fish. Sub: Martin.

EVERTON: Garner; Ratcliffe (P); Goulding, McMahon, Imlach; Eichardson, Gardner, Barton (P); Stevens, Wadd, Ashton (R) Sub: Fazakerley.

 

Match report from The Liverpool Echo

 

ROBERT SEALS ANFIELD GLORY FOR THE BLUES

5^th DECEMBER 1979

BY CHARLES LAMBERT

A brilliant solo goal from Robert Ash will linger long in the memories of those lucky enough to see it an Anfield last night. Ash, who comes from Solihull in the Midlands and is in his first season as an apprentice with Everton, scored the goal that clinched a 2-0 win over Liverpool in the second round of the F.A. Youth Cup.

It came in the 86^th minute of a windswept match which until then had been marked more by collective endeavour than individual flair. Everton were clinging on to a single-goal lead as Liverpool won two successive corners, but the young reds could not cash in on the second flag kick and that’s when Ash took over.

He gained possession a few yards outside his own penalty area and took the ball to the centre circle. Two Liverpool defenders challenged, but Ash got clear of both of them. On he ran, deep into the home half of the field, and as goalkeeper Neil Turner advanced he drifted to the right and coolly slotted the ball past him into the net.

Throughout the match, Ash had chased and fought without much reward. But this goal, surely the highlight of his brief career to date, made it all worth while.

Liverpool couldn’t believe it. They had dominated the game for long periods, winning a total of 12 corners to just one by Everton – and suddenly it was all beyond them.

SKILFUL

It was the finishing touch that eluded Liverpool, despite some skilful work by Irishman Ronnie Whelan.

Whelan, who produced the best effort of the first half, thought he had done the trick, 19 minutes after the break, when he flashed a header goalwards from the Tony Edwards corner – only to see Everton full back Phil Ratcliffe clear off the line.

Nine minutes later and against the run of play, Everton took the lead. Neat skill by Mark Ward opened the way for Kevin Richardson to cross from the right and Gary Stevens moved in the head home.

This brought the game to life, with Liverpool stepping up the pressure and Everton looking for chances on the break. They got the ball in the net from one counter-attack, in the 81^st minute, but the referee had already blown for a free kick to the Blues, on the half-way line. Then along came Ash with his goal of a lifetime.

MATCH FACTS

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Turner; Alman, Watson, Lee (A), Ward (S); Edwards, Hodder, Vasco; Foley (Martin 66), Whelan, Fish.

EVERTON (4-3-3): Garner; Ratcliffe (P), McMahon, Goulding, Imlach; Richardson, Gardner, Barton (P); Ward (M), Ash, Stevens. Sub.: Fazakerley.

Goals: Stevens 73 (0-1), Ash 86 (0-2).

Bookings: Hodder (foul on Imlach)

Conditions: Raining, windy; pitch soft.

Referee: Neil Midgley (Salford).

Attendance: 2,032.

 

8^th January 1980

3^rd Round – Home to Manchester United

Lost 0-1

 

Match preview from The Liverpool Echo

 

TASTE OF BIG TIME FOR YOUNG BLUES

8^th JANUARY 1980

BY CHARLES LAMBERT

Everton meet Manchester United to-night at Goodison Park (7 p.m.) in the third round of the F.A. Youth Cup - and for many of the young Blues it will be their first taste of football on the Goodison pitch.

Everton have named a squad of 16, and when that is whittled down to the final 12 it could be that as many as nine of them will be treading the Goodison turf for the first time in a competitive match.

That places a heavy responsibility on Steve McMahon and Derek Goulding, who have both played in Everton’s Central League team this season, and on Phil Gardner, like McMahon a survivor of last season’s run to the semi-finals of the competition.

EVERTON: (from) Garner, Ratcliffe, Elliott, Goulding, McMahon, Imlach, O’Shea, Richardson, Tierney, Barton, Gardner, Stevens, Kelly, Ash, Ward, Miller.

 

Match report from The Liverpool Echo

 

STING WRAY KO’S BLUES

9^th JANUARY 1980

BY CHARLES LAMBERT

Andy Wray, a youngster who once had trials at Goodison, came back in a Manchester United shirt last night and knocked Everton out of the F.A. Youth Cup. Midfield man Wray, hit the only goal of the game in the 65^th minute to put United into the fourth round of the competition.

It was a deserved win because United looked the better all round team. But Everton can find consolation in the fact that most of their youngsters will still be eligible for youth cup duty next season, when they could be a force to be reckoned with.

Goalkeeper Phil Garner was Everton’s hero in the first half, making two vital saves to keep the interval score sheet blank. In the fourth minute he dived bravely at Reynolds’ feet and parried Lynan’s follow up attempt, and just before the break he made a fine diving save from a volley by McGarvey.

McGarvey gave Everton a number of problems, but missed two chances by shooting over the bar.

Everton lost striker Mark Ward through injury at the end of the first half. They reorganised by switching Steve McMahon to midfield and Phil Gardner to attack, and this immediately made them look a more purposeful outfit.

McMahon inspired Everton’s best spell of the match, finding Richardson with one lovely pass which forced a courageous save from United goalkeeper Steve Pears.

Everton gigantic centre half Derek Goulding had a header saved, and McMahon was unlucky with a well struck shot which crept just past the post.

The winning goal came when United left-back Nigel Keen cut the ball back for Wray to steer his shot into the Everton net.

The Blues youngsters tried hard to save the game in a spirited finale, but they spoiled a number of promising moves by blazing away from outside the penalty area.

MATCH FACTS

EVERTON (4-3-3) Garner; Ratcliffe, McMahon, Goulding, Imlach, Richardson, Gardner; Barton, Ward (Fazakerley), Kelly, Stevens.

MANCHESTER UNITED (4-3-3) Pears; Lowther, Davies, Roberts, Keen; Wray, Keogh, Worrall; Lynan, McGarvey, Reynolds.

Goal: Wray (65) 0-1.

Booking: Goulding (persistent infringements).

Conditions: Weather fine; pitch soft.

Referee: Mr. R. Chadwick (Darwen)

Attendance: 1,720.