By The Nark End
March 2 2010

EVERTON'S U18 SUFFER EXTRA TIME HEARTBREAK AT EWOOD PARK...

Everton’s Under-18s suffered a heart-wrenching extra-time defeat to Blackburn in the FA Youth Cup quarter final.

Shane Duffy put the Toffees a goal up in the first half with a header but Rovers turned the tie on its head with an equaliser 12 minutes from time and a winner in the 102nd minute of play at Ewood Park.

Everton’s exit also marked the end of a remarkable run of over 1000 minutes without conceding a goal.

Head coach Neil Dewsnip made two changes to the side that started against Preston North End in the previous round, with Conor McAleny and Tom Donegan starting in place of the injured Ross Barkley and Hallam Hope, who started on the bench.  

The first real chance of the first half fell to Everton when captain Jose Baxter's free-kick travelled straight through the box and right-back Aristote Nsiala missed the tap-in by inches. 

The chance prompted both sides to open up and end-to-end play ensued, with Welshman Nathan Craig seeing an effort tipped wide by Rovers keeper Josh Swann.

The Blues continued to look dangerous going forward throughout the first half, Donegan firing a low drive past the post and McAleny seeing his effort deflected into the hands of keeper Swann on the half hour mark.

But a shove on McAleny saw awarded Everton a free-kick four minutes from the interval, and Baxter was the man to take. His perfect delivery found the head of Duffy in the box, the defender flicking into the Blackburn net to puts the visitors ahead.

In fact, it was the first goal Rovers have conceded in the competition, and that's the way it stayed until the interval. 

Everton went very close to doubling their lead early in the second half through an Nsiala header which was cleared off the line by the Rovers defence.

Then the hosts had a chance to equalise on the hour, but a combination of keeper Adam Davies and Duffy denied Tom Hitchcock.

Rovers continued to test the Blues' back-four, and eventually found the equaliser with 12 minutes remaining. Duffy rose to clear a cross but missed the ball and Blackburn captain Grant Hanley drew his side level from close-range. 

Four minutes of added time was signalled and Baxter, sensing it could be the last throw of the dice, turned in the box before firing over, and the tie went to extra time.

Everton appeared the more composed side in the opening minutes, but it was Rovers who made the vital breakthrough when Osayamen Osawe found himself in a one-on-one with Davies, and converted with confidence.

Dewsnip made his final two changes at the interval with Luke Garbutt and Femi Orenuga replacing Nathan Craig and James Wallace, while centre-half Duffy went up front as a makeshift striker.

Soon new man Orenuga provided an early cross to stand-in frontman Duffy, but the Irishman slipped it narrowly past the post.

And despite all their efforts, including a last-gasp Baxter free-kick over the crossbar, Everton bow out of the competition.