Wolves 2 (Wilcox 81, 85) Everton 2 (Akarakiri 15, Wren 63)
A spirited Wolves side put in a gusty second half performance against Everton on Tuesday as the under-18s overturned a two goal deficit to gain a point at Compton Park in the U18 Premier League.
The visitors had the brighter start of the two teams with Josh Gracey coming to Wolves’ rescue on a couple of occasions with two brilliant one on one saves to prevent an early goal for the away side.
However, after 15 minutes, the Toffees did net the opening goal of the game with Gracey once again making a top save but Akarakiri managed to pounce and tap in the rebound.
The Old Gold responded well to going behind and came close to an equaliser when Luke Rawlings drove forward from midfield and saw his low effort from the edge of the area tipped onto the post by the Everton keeper.
Makenzie Bradbury and David Osifo combined well on the left a few minutes later and once again the Everton keeper kept out another good effort, tipping Bradbury’s curling effort wide of the post.
The game settled down after an action packed start as the sides got closer to half time with Everton winger Justin Clarke spurning a chance to double the lead after a low ball into the box found its way through to him but his effort was pulled wide in the end.
Half-time | Wolves 0-1 Everton
It was the inverse from the first half at the start of the second with Wolves full of energy and immediately putting the Everton defence under pressure as they searched for an equaliser.
Jake Wilcox set the tone as he went on a mazy dribble on the left wing and cut inside looking to bend one into the far corner, but his effort flew just past the far post.
The pressure continued from the home side and a brilliant passing move, ending with Reiss Bowen intricately flicking it around the corner for Myles Dayman, deserved a goal and was only denied by a lunging block from a blue shirt at the last moment.
Despite the Old Gold’s early second half dominance, Everton doubled their lead against the run of play, as a ball over the top found Kean Wren who rounded Gracey and finished from a tight angle.
Wolves remained unperturbed despite the sucker punch from the visitors and were rewarded in the 80th minute when Wilcox was picked out by an excellent cross from Dayman across the box which the forward tapped home to start the comeback.
Just four minutes after the goal that halved the deficit, a penalty was won by Alfie White after he was bundled over at the far post as he looked to head home a brilliant Josh Gidaree cross.
Wilcox took the responsibility of taking the penalty and stepped up confidently to send the keeper the wrong way, completing the comeback and earning a point for a Wolves team which ended the game with three under-15s on the pitch.
Full-time | Wolves 2-2 Everton
LINEUPS
Wolves | Gracey, Dayman, Voice (Gidaree 58), Saba (Aneke 86), White, Osifo, Bradbury (Abbey 58), Marwa, Rawlings (Senyah 58), Bowen, Wilcox.
Unused subs | Kibrya.
Everton | Patrick, Finney, Van Schoor, Davis, Gardner, Foster, Akarakiri, Wren (Stewart 77), Clarke, Morgan, Loney (Nsangou 77).
Unused subs | Gospel-Eze, Poland, Freedman.
COMING UP
Wolves under-18s are back at Compton Park on Saturday to play Liverpool in the U18 Premier League.
NEXT THREE
15/03 Liverpool (H)
29/03 Nottingham Forest (H)
05/04 Manchester City (H)
Report by Harrison Kewley
