Everton Reserves 2, Wigan Reserves 0: Young Blues back on track
A YOUNG Everton Reserves side marked their last game at the Stobart Stadium this season with a much-deserved three points.
The result ended a nine-match winless streak which had begun in the reverse fixture in 2008.
The Latics won 2-1 back in November and with regular reserve players missing and three youngsters making their debuts, the odds were in favour of a similar result.
However, Everton's attacking play proved to be as relentless as the torrential rain in the first half as they dominated the game.
Alan Stubbs, who was watching over the Blues performance in place of the absent Andy Holden, must have been pleased with teens Gerrard Kinsella, Adam Forshaw and Karl Sheppard who never looked out of place during their first reserve team outings.
Indeed, the opening goal came from two of the debutants linking up, as a Forshaw free-kick from the left hand side was headed home by Sheppard on 18 minutes.
Forshaw's set pieces caused Wigan's defence problems throughout the match.
His corners and free-kicks, delivered with pace, always seemed likely to create an opportunity.
Young striker Kieran Agard got the Blues' second goal just before half time.
The 18-year-old, who was on the bench at Portsmouth in the Premier League last weekend, sped through the visiting defence before his shot looped over talented 16-year-old Wigan keeper Lee Nicholls, from Huyton.
At the opposite end, Carlo Nash's goal was rarely threatened with Wigan never looking likely to score.
Fresh from his loan spell at Accrington Stanley, John Paul Kissock looked lively throughout the 90 minutes despite being persistently fouled by a physical Wigan back four.
The young midfielder impressed with some imaginative passing and clever touches and may well have staked a claim for playing a bigger role in the first team than keeping the bench warm.
EVERTON RES: Nash, Coleman, Barnett, Kinsella, Irving, Sinnott, O'Kane (Coding 72), Forshaw, Agard, Sheppard, Kissock. Not used: Stubhaug, Duffy, Nsiala, McAleny.
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