Blue Boys: Everton U-18s lose to tough Reading side

Nov 22 2012 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo

EVERTON’S U-18s were beaten 1-0 by a physical Reading side at the weekend meaning they can finish no higher than third in their division of the FA Premier Academy League.

The young Blues looked to have weathered a tough game in Berkshire only for another defensive calamity to cost them all three points in the last 15 minutes.

But boss Kevin Sheedy was pleased overall with how his side performed against the table-toppers.

He said: “It was disappointing to end our unbeaten run especially because we didn’t deserve to lose, but in the end it was more of a battle than a football game.

“It was a good lesson for our boys though. Reading are a big powerful team and we had four 16-year-olds out there but they all stood up well.

“Like Stoke City in the Premier League, you will get teams which are hard and play very direct and you have to adapt. We need to learn to deal with.

“It was a tight game albeit another slip-up cost us.”