Tom Cannon struck a late leveller as Everton drew 1-1 at city rivals Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.

The striker earned the Blues a share of the points when he clinically slotted home seven minutes from time after fine through pass from Lewis Dobbin.

Jack Bearne had put the home side in front just after the hour mark at LFC Academy.

David Unsworth’s young Toffees went into the game unbeaten in their past five matches and started the match brightly.

Dobbin was a threat from the off and the Blues came close to opening the scoring inside five minutes when the forward skipped round Liverpool left-back Owen Beck then found Cannon with his centre. The striker’s attempt flew over the bar, however.

Dobbin’s crossing ability again came to the fore shortly after and this time he found Ellis Simms, whose glancing header went just wide. 

Liverpool’s only shot on target of the half came from James Balagizi but his strike from 25 yards didn’t trouble Harry Tyrer in the Everton net. 

Both sides started the second half with a much higher tempo. Liverpool midfielder Elijah Dixon-Bonner attempted to curl a shot into the top corner from outside the box, but the ball just went over the bar.

Dobbin then nearly opened the scoring on 48 minutes when he met Simms’ cross, but Liverpool keeper Marcelo Pitaluga made a good save.

Liverpool broke the deadlock on 61 minutes when a cross from Beck took a fortunate deflection and fell perfectly for Bearne, who was left with a simple tap-in. 

The goal didn’t dishearten Unsworth’s team and they kept pushing for an equaliser – and finally got their deserved goal on 83 minutes through Cannon. 

The Everton frontman found himself one-on-one with Pitaluga after a pass in behind from Dobbin and finished into the bottom corner.

Simms almost won the game for Everton in the final knockings but his left-footed shot from inside the box went agonisingly wide.

Everton Under-23s return to action on Monday 24 January with a home Premier League 2 game against Tottenham Hotspur.