Won’t Always Be Like – Everton Talents Told Key Lesson By U21s Boss | OneFootball

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Everton Under-21s boss Dave Hughes believes the difficult pitch conditions against Hartlepool United gave his young side a valuable lesson in the less familiar facets of the game, while he praised their resilience in overcoming the challenge.

The young Toffees opened their National League Cup campaign with a hard-fought victory over Hartlepool on Tuesday evening.

Rocco Lambert’s ninth-minute strike at Victoria Park settled the contest in favour of the Merseyside outfit, proving to be the only goal of the encounter on the night.

The winning effort also marked Lambert’s first goal for Everton at Under-21 level, adding another positive note to an already morale-boosting victory.

The Toffees currently sit fourth in Group C, having played just one game so far, with Tamworth the only other side yet to play a second fixture in the group, leaving both sides with a game in hand.

Assessing the match, Hughes conceded that the game was hardly a spectacle, but stressed to his players that a career will inevitably contain matches that fall short of their ideal standard.

He also acknowledged that the sticky surface affected the quality of their passing, although he refused to use it as an excuse, before highlighting their resolve in coping with the aerial balls and long throws they faced, giving the youngsters a taste of challenges they do not regularly encounter.

Hughes told Everton’s official website: “It wasn’t a classic, but what we’ve said to the players is that if you’re going to have a career, then not every game will be what you want it to look like.

“The pitch was a bit sticky but that’s not making excuses for us because we didn’t pass the ball at the level we’re capable of.

“What we did do was show some resilience to deal with balls on top of us and long throws, which are parts of the game that perhaps the players don’t always get to experience.”

Everton’s next assignment in the National League Cup comes on 23rd September against Boreham Wood, when they will be looking to carry their winning momentum into the next stage of their campaign.

At senior level, the Toffees will likewise be seeking to preserve their unbeaten Premier League run when they face Tottenham Hotspur in their next outing.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Group C of the National League Cup, Leeds United Under-21s also secured a win against Solihull Moors, while Newcastle United Under-21s suffered their second consecutive defeat after being beaten by Boreham Wood.