Francis Jeffers, the teenager who all Everton pray will be their goalscoring
salvation, grabbed a priceless goal in their desperate fight against
relegation.
The 18-year-old, who scored his first senior goal at Goodison Park just a
fortnight ago in the FA Cup, was spot on with a second half equaliser that saved
Everton from yet another home nightmare.
They were behind early on when Efan Ekoku ended Wimbledon's six match goal
famine, taking advantage of an error by veteran Dave Watson.
Everton's youngbloods fought valiantly for the cause, and in injury time
looked to have been denied a penalty when Michael Hughes seemed to bring down
another kid, Michael Branch, after he had rounded keeper Neil Sullivan.
Referee Neale Barry waved play on and seconds later ended the contest to a
chorus of abuse from the Goodison fans. Barry was escorted from the field by
stewards as angry Everton players tried to find out why the spot kick hadn't
been given.
In the end they had to thank Jeffers, born in the shadows of the ground, for
their priceless point.
Everton were left with the babes to battle it out with the usually efficient,
organised and uncompromising Londoners.
Injuries, suspensions and international calls robbed the Merseysiders of a
dozen first teamers.
Such excuses cut little ice at Wimbledon, a club who turn being underdogs into
an art form.
But you couldn't doubt the zest and commitment of Everton's teenagers, even if
this was one of those days when the experience and firepower of Don Hutchison
and John Collins in particular were most missed.
Nevertheless Everton controlled and dictated much of the play. Olivier
Dacourt, before starting another ban, was at the heart of much of their
pressure.
A string of early chances went begging. A neat John Oster touch put the
Frenchman away on a run, and after playing the ball out to Nicky Barmby and
taking the return, Dacourt chipped a shot over from 20 yards.
Then Dacourt surged through on another break and fed Barmby, who saw his shot
deflected for a corner.
Even David Weir, on his full debut, got in on the act even if some of his
defending caused more than a ripple of concern. The Scot strode forward to lash
a low shot wide after Danny Cadamarteri laid the ball back to him.
But that sad goalless Wimbledon run ended after 14 minutes when Ekoku punished
an error by Everton skipper Dave Watson.
Robbie Earle hoisted a 50 yard ball out of defence that Watson misjudged badly
in the swirling wind.
The ball bounced invitingly into space and Ekoku surged onto it before
drilling it home from 20 yards in off Thomas Myhre's left hand post. It was
Wimbledon's first attack and first shot.
But Everton could have been level two minutes later when Francis Jeffers took
on Dean Blackwell on a run into the box, wrong footed the defender and fired a
low shot inches wide across the face of the goal.
Barmby, with a header and a shot, failed to finish flowing moves, and Michael
Ball couldn't quit reach an excellent Oster cross to the far post.
Despite the blow of going behind, Everton were inventive in attack, with much
of the thoughtful stuff coming down Oster's right flank.
Barmby, too, was full of drive. He had a 20 yard shot held by Sullivan after
30 minutes and a surging 30 yard run and shot collected low down by the Dons
goalkeeper keeper.
Jeffers, showing the confidence of youth against uncompromising, quality
defenders, took on two men in the box and flashed a right footer that Sullivan
again held. He has a presence and a coolness that sets him apart, and he was
always a threat.
Wimbledon were barely an attacking force, but their danger on the break came
on 36 minutes when Michael Hughes fed Earle in acres of space down the left -
with Weir nowhere to be seen - and the Dons' skipper chipped a fine effort
inches over the far angle.
A bit of muscle was needed to help swing the midfield battle Everton's way,
and Walter Smith opted to push the wholehearted Dave Unsworth into that area,
switching youngster Ball to left-back.
Unsworth took on the robust Andy Roberts and the balance of power began to
change.
The equaliser came after 56 minutes. Cadamarteri got in on the left, beat
Chris Perry and chipped in a fine cross that Jeffers rose to meet, planting a
fine header away from the diving Sullivan.
Smith threw on another young striker in Michael Branch with eight minutes to
go, with Barmby and Unsworth striving desperately for another breakthrough in a
tense conclusion.
That penalty claim at the death could have given Everton the lifeline their
effort and commitment deserved. As it was, it looks like it's going to be
another fight to the last day for the nerve-wracked blue half of Merseyside.
Teams
Everton: Myhre, Ball, Dacourt, Watson, Unsworth, Barmby,
Materazzi, Weir, Oster (Branch 83), Cadamarteri, Jeffers.
Subs Not Used: Short, Jevons, O'Kane, Simonsen.
Goals: Jeffers 57.
Wimbledon: Sullivan, Cunningham, Perry, Blackwell, Thatcher,
Earle, Ekoku, Roberts, Gayle, Hughes, Euell (Ardley 32).
Subs Not Used: Kimble, Heald, Kennedy, Cort.
Booked: Roberts, Thatcher.
Goals: Ekoku 14.
Att: 32,574.
Ref: N Barry (Scunthorpe).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook