Wigan Res v Everton Res

Latics cast aspersions on the word reserves tonight by fielding virtually the youth team against a vastly more experienced Everton side containing the likes of John Ruddy, Andy Van Der Meyde and James Vaughan.

Latics only player over the age of 19 was Rachid Bouazoun on the left wing who is 23.

Everton started brightly a cross in the first minute found Vaughan whose spectacular overhead kit was brilliantly turned over the bar by the 16 year old youth keeper Postlethwaite.

Latics tried to play the ball on the floor with Kupisz looking lively on the wing.

However every time the ball was fed into the front two it was comfortably dealt with by the bigger and stronger Everton defence.

Everton always looked the most likely to score and a mistake by the centre halves let Vaughan through one on one with the keeper who brilliantly saved with his legs.

The respite was however short lived a break from Everton`s own half wasn`t closed down and Vaughan finished off.

The lead was doubled five minutes later when Andy Van der Meyde broke down the right cut inside the full back and fired past the advancing keeper.

Latics heads didn`t drop and they tried to keep playing football but couldnt trouble the keeper at all until the 40th minute when a corner found Ashworth in the 6 yard box and his powerful header beat Ruddy to reduce the deficit.

Latics came out for the second half hoping to claw back the deficit but this hope was dispelled within a minute when Everton scored again.

The second half was then controlled by Everton and it was no surprise when they added two further goals, Latics never stopped trying but didn`t look like scoring against an older and more experienced Everton side.

Maybe the news that this was to be David Lowe and Gary Walsh` last games before they move to Derby had filtered through to the team but nobody could fault their effort.

It was a puzzle why first team fringe players were not selected such as Hall, Agahowa and Cotterill as they must surely be short of match practice.

Ratings

Pros

Montrose…5/10 was outplayed and outthought. A big lad who needs to establish a bigger presence on the field.

Cwyka… 5/10 not improved in the two years he has been here

Kupisz….6/10 looked sharp, a few good runs before he went off injured.

Bouazoun 4/10 anonymous

Special Mention

Postlethwaite… 6/10 but for the 16 year olds heroics it could easily have been double figures

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