When Everton secured their first home victory at their new stadium, Andy Taylor, the manager of the B Team, acknowledged that too many Whites missed the opportunity. According to Pete Oliver, a goal five minutes from the end of a game that was cut short to allow for a practice evacuation of the 25,000 spectators from Kingsford Boakye decided that the second match would be played at the Toffees’ opulent new home. The nearly 53,000-seat Everton Stadium will be a stunning addition to the Premier League roster next season, but Wanderers did not truly live up to the occasion in a 1-0 loss.
Taylor managed a team that included several veteran players under the watchful eye of first-team manager Steven Schumacher. “It is a great stadium, with a big crowd, especially for the younger players,” Taylor said.
It was a fantastic experience for them in that regard since the audience is larger than they have likely ever performed in front of and may never perform in front of.
Thus, brilliant in terms of spectacle and experience. We are thrilled to have been allowed to play and participate in the game, but I felt like we were kind of passed over in terms of the game itself.
It was a bit bitter-sweet, really, if I am being honest. Despite the performance, there were positives in the form of game time for some of Wanderers’ senior men returning from injury, as Kyle Dempsey, Ricardo Almeida Santos, and Kion Etete all made it through 45 minutes on the comeback trail. I understand it is a friendly and I understand there are not three points at stake, but we needed more of that.
Luke Hutchinson, the teenage goalkeeper, had an unforgettable afternoon during the 65 minutes of action, and the Whites brought in three youth team players from the bench at the other end of the experience spectrum.
“He performed incredibly well,” Taylor continued. He made a few excellent saves, found spare men, and dropped things over the press after he settled in. His distribution was excellent.
“Getting some of the young players on was fantastic, and I am glad I had the chance to do it. It was great to give them a taste of it.”
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