Paul Tait said individual errors cost his side after Everton Under-18s fell to a 5-1 defeat against Stoke City at Clayton Wood on Saturday.

In-form forward Tom Cannon put the young Blues ahead 11 minutes in but Mohamed Sankho’s equaliser meant the teams went in level at half-time.

A clinical Stoke team side added four further goals in the second half.  The result means the Toffees slip to fourth in the U18 Premier League (North) table.

"It was disappointing - the lads have not turned up," manager Tait told evertonfc.com.

"We got a foothold in the game early on and scored a good goal, but we let them get back into the game, dictate the play and individual errors cost us.

"We gave a goal away from a set-piece and from there the game got away from us.

"We didn't defend well enough as a team but certainly not as individuals. There were a lot of players who didn't do their job defensively.

“We were nowhere near and Stoke were the better team.”

It was the Blues who struck first when Cannon found time and space to turn home Sebastian Quirk's inch-perfect cross.

Everton couldn't add to the Republic of Ireland youth international’s opener, though, and the home side drew level 21 minutes in - Sankho slotting home from close range after Jack Barrett's save.

Stoke then upped the ante in the second half, as Sankho netted his second of the game.

Soiyir Sanali then helped himself to a brace, before Andre Godfrinne completed the scoring in stoppage time.