24mins: Lukas Jutkiewicz header 1-0

Half time: Toffees 1 United 0

Full time: Toffees 1 United 0 

Toffees coach Andy Holden said:

"I thought it was an excellent performance from first whistle to the last.We're back to winning ways and got a clean sheet.

"I thought Carlo Nash, with the young lads down the middle at the back (James McCarten and Moses Barnett), was excellent on the night, he took the pressure off us when called upon to make saves, he did do.

We probably could have gone a goal down with the ball that flashed across the goal. But the boys, especially the strikers, kept getting in there and big Jutkiewicz got his reward. On another night he could have got a hat-trick.

"You get a clean sheet, you get a point. That's your platform from start to finish, from front to back and I thought everybody put the work ethic in and a great result.The seniors who came on board tonight were top drawer, before the game, during the game and after the game. It was a great performance and a great result.

"I wouldn't like to play against Victor (Anichebe), because when he's on form and when he puts himself about I don't think there is a centre half that can deal with him. 

Tony Hibbert is a fantastic defender first and foremost and I think that on two occasions in the first half, the younger lads got caught out of position, and before you know it who was there to head it away -Tony Hibbert. He is one of the best defenders in the country."

Interim Coach Richard Money commented:

“I thought it was a terrific performance. It was a proper reserve game with a really competitive edge to it. The one thing you know about every team that Everton put on the pitch is that they will play hard.

“We matched them and I genuinely thought that in the second half we were the better the team.

“We had chances, but for all our good football and endeavour we would probably like to have created a few more. But Everton didn’t create too much either.

“Before the game I challenged our players.When they looked at the team sheet, they knew they’d have to be at their best. I don’t like losing matches, but I was proud of the performance.”

“Phil Airey is 16, James Tavernier is 16, Tamas Kadar is 18 and Darren Lough is also 18. They can be proud of their performance. I firmly believe that the youngsters will push very hard.

“The unfortunate thing for the club at the minute is that those who are 16 or 17 are a long way from being ready for the first team. But I genuinely think that over the next two or three years, there is some promise.”

Newcastle Reserves lost their first game in five as they went down to a more experienced Toffees XI at the home of the Widnes Vikings Rugby League side on Tuesday.

Andy Carroll had let the home side off the hook by failing to make contact with a tempting early cross from close range, while Everton had the ball in the net twice but saw both correctly ruled out for earlier infringements.

Lukas Jutkiewicz opened the scoring for Everton on 24 minutes, the teenage striker unmarked as he headed a free kick from 12 yards past Fraser Forster. 

United's best chance of a leveller came and went, when Mark Doninger's free kick struck a post, while Dan Gosling repeated the trick for the home side after the break. 

Coach Richard Money called upon Kazenga LuaLua for the first time this season, after the 17 year-old returned to fitness after an injury layoff.

However he was forced to field a makeshift back four, with Tamas Kadar and James Tavernier in central defence and Darren Lough and debutant Phil Airey at full back.

The latter is more usually a forward, but continued at left back after playing there for the U18 side on Saturday.

Nile Ranger was introduced after the break, followed by Aussie youngster Brad Inman and Sammy Ameobi, but no equaliser was forthcoming.

Biffa

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