Everton Under-23s manager David Unsworth said his team must learn from the challenge of competing against more experienced players after the young Blues were beaten 4-2 at Brighton & Hove Albion on Friday night.
Striker Lewis Dobbin netted an expertly-taken brace but Everton came up short against a strong Brighton side that included three full internationals in their starting XI.
Dobbin equalised after an Isaac Price own goal gave the home side the lead, but three unanswered Seagulls strikes took the game away from the Toffees. Dobbin rifled home his second late in the piece but Brighton saw the game out to secure maximum points.
"If I'm being honest, I thought they were the better team," Unsworth said. "Their senior players were a bit older than us and they performed at a good level.
"We’ve had a bit of a lesson by players who can move the ball quickly and are a bit more physical.
"This is what it all about. You've got to adapt and you’ve got to dig in at times and change the way you play.
"We’ve got to manage the game better.
"They were better than us in every department, except for Lewis who was bright and sharp."
The Premier League 2 contest at Albion Academy was played out in the most appalling conditions with driving rain and swirling wind making possession football very challenging.
Nineteen-year-old Ecuador international Jeremy Sarmiento had the game’s first meaningful effort on goal in the sixth minute when his shot was well parried away by Billy Crellin.
Shortly after, a swift Everton counter-attack ended with Stanley Mills shooting low, straight at the keeper.
Tom Cannon will probably feel he should have done better when his diving header from an excellent first-time cross by Seb Quirk drifted well wide of the target.
Brighton took control of the game from the quarter of an hour mark, and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 24th minute – albeit with a touch of fortune when Everton midfielder Price deflected a clearance into his own net.
The Seagulls had most of the first-half possession but goalkeeper Crellin remained well protected and the Toffees stayed in the game.
On 36 minutes, they were rewarded when Dobbin produced a composed finish from 10 yards for his sixth Under-23s goal of the season.
Brighton restored their lead four minutes after the break from the penalty spot. Another Ecuadorian international, Moises Caicedo, ended up on the ground following a scramble on the edge of the six-yard box and the Everton defenders where aghast when the referee pointed to the spot.
Brighton skipper Jack Spong converted, sending Crellin the wrong way.
Just three minutes later, Spong scored again with a direct free-kick from 22 yards, and this time there would no way back for Everton.
The hard-working Cannon shot wide after being picked out by Price and then came even closer after good work by Jensen Metcalfe.
Brighton substitute Todd Miller scored their fourth goal in the 76th minute when he ran onto a long through pass from Spong and rounded Crellin before tapping the ball into the net.
Dobbin’s second goal of the game came in the 83rd minute when his blistering pace took him clear of the Brighton defence and he again kept his cool in front of goal to place the ball past the keeper.
A disappointing night for Everton was compounded with a late red card for Ryan Astley for a mis-timed challenge on Jack Hinchy.
Unsworth added: "We looked ever so well going forward in the first half and looked a threat, particularly Lewis, but the four goals that we conceded were bizarre.
"The first one an own goal, the second one a dubious penalty, the third a free-kick and for the fourth on we were all over the place, which wasn’t like us. It was a strange game."
