Onyango Hits Late Leveller As Under-23s Grab Point

A late equaliser from Tyler Onyango earned Everton a share of the spoils against Blackburn Rovers at the Lancashire FA ground in Leyland. 

Everton had Katia Kouyate and Thierry Small making their Under-23 bows and started brightly against a Blackburn side that had lost only once in their opening seven games.

David Unsworth's side had to wait until six minutes from the end to find the net, however, Onyango pouncing to level after Brad Lyons' first-half goal for the hosts.

Everton are sixth with matches against West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion due before Christmas, while Blackburn sit third and one point off the top.

"It felt like a long night because it was a tough game and I have to say the level of this league this season has really gone up," manager Unsworth told evertonfc.com.

"Blackburn were excellent and kept their shape well with five at the back and four in midfield and it was really difficult to break them down. It was a defensive shape and they did it well and hit us on the break.

"We've been struggling in front of goal recently and it was tough for us but we got a bit of luck. Full credit to the lads because they dug in and hung on in there and we got something from the game. A draw is maybe a fair result.

"We had more of the ball in the second half after we changed the way we were playing, which helped us a bit."

Ellis Simms had half a chance early on when a poor clearance from home keeper Jordan Eastham landed at his feet 25 yards out, but he could not get sufficient purchase on his effort to capitalise on the error. 

At the other end, only a superb reflex save by Harry Tyrer kept out a well-struck close range shot by Harry Chapman. 

On the half-hour an excellent inswinging corner from Nathan Broadhead was punched clear and Einar Iversen’s follow-up drive cleared the crossbar. 

The opening goal came six minutes before half-time when Chapman centred the ball from the right and midfielder Lyons kept his composure to volley it first-time past Tyrer. 

The endeavour in the second period was sadly not matched by quality in the final third of the field and neither keeper was seriously troubled. 

Rovers were content to stay compact and try to hit Everton on the break and the visitors found it tough to break them down. 

Broadhead stung the fingers of the keeper with a rasping shot for Everton and an overhead kick by Samuel Burns for Rovers was just too high. 

The equaliser in the 84th minute came from a dreadful mix-up in the home defence. Joseph Grayson and Eastham were on totally different wavelengths and it left Onyango with the simplest of tap-ins. 

"We pushed Tyler up front with Ellis towards the end because he's a goal threat and he'll never score an easier one in his life," said Unsworth.

Rovers should have clinched it when Lyons pulled his effort wide from eight yards with a couple of minutes to go. But the young Blues came away with a point.

Striker Kouyate, 17, and Small, the left-back who joined the Club's Academy aged 11, gained promotion to Unsworth's side following strong starts to the campaign with Everton Under-18s.

"I thought Katia showed some good touches and he will go from strength to strength," said Unsworth.

"He's a really dynamic player and once he gets up to the speed and the fitness of Under-23 football he will be a bright spark and I'm looking forward to working with him.

"Thierry was terrific and looked like he'd been playing Under-23 football for a while, so it's a great night for him as well.

"We're delighted with the continuation of young players into the Under-23s because it's something we've always done and we'll continue to do it. "