Everton Res 1

Rovers Res 1

A STRONG Blackburn Rovers reserve side were unable to dispose of a much younger Everton team but still managed to take a point at Southport's Haig Avenue ground.

Rovers were ahead as early as the second minute when Jerome Watt fed Matt Jansen, who coolly delivered a left foot drive under Iain Turner and into the net.

Dino Baggio might have extended Rovers lead on 16 minutes although the Italian didn't know too much about it. Jerome Watt's cross deflected off Baggio and forced a good save out of Turner in the Blues goal.

Just after the half hour Rovers should have been further in front when Moogan pulled back Paul Gallagher in the area and the referee pointed to the spot.

However Ciccio Grabbi's kick was well saved by Turner and Everton cleared the rebound.

It was a costly miss as two minutes later Everton went down to the other end and won a penalty of their own, Nils Eric Johansson pulled down Leon Osman and the Blues striker stood up to convert past Yelldell.

On the stroke of half time the home side were inches away from taking the lead when Alan Moogan's free kick crashed off the Rovers crossbar. However within a minute Ciccio Grabbi saw his shot from inside the box go just wide.

Grabbi was replaced by Jemal Johnson for the second half and the young striker showed much more endeavour than his Italian team mate.

Everton started the second half brightly and had Rovers on the back foot when Scott Brown flashed in a cross only for it to evade all of his team mates waiting in the box.

Matt Jansen and Dino Baggio were both replaced on 68 minutes with one eye possibly on Sunday's televised trip to Leicester City.

EVERTON: Turner, B Moogan, Wilson, Gerrard, Clarke, Schumacher, Brown, Osman, Barry, Pascucci, A Moogan. Subs Unused: Gallagher,Hughes, Lynch, Hopkins, Fox

BLACKBURN ROVERS: Yelldell, Peers, McEverley, Donnelly, Taylor, Johansson, Watt, Gallagher, Jansen(Harkins 68), Baggio(Nelson 68), Grabbi(Johnson 46). Subs Unused: Johnson, Renton, Harkins, Nelson, Barker.