Everton comfortably beaten by Southport FC at Haig Avenue

EVERTON were comfortably beaten 2-0 by Southport in the Liverpool Senior Cup final at Haig Avenue.

Losing skipper Jose Baxter summed up the Toffees’ turgid performance after the match, as he tweeted: “For anyone who came to watch us today I can only apologise because we were awful.”

Nobody who witnessed the Blues’ second string’s limp display would argue with the 19-year-old’s admirably honest assessment.

Alan Stubbs’ side were undone by two early set piece goals from Karl Ledsham and impressive former Everton player John Paul Kissock in the opening 10 minutes, and failed dismally to find a way back into the game afterwards.

Stubbs took charge of a side that was largely similar to the one that contested the Lev Yashin cup in Moscow last weekend, but were without attacking duo Conor McAleny and Apostolos Vellios, the latter on first team duty in Washington.

Liam Watson’s Sandgrounders raced into the lead inside 90 seconds, as the snoozing Blues failed to deal with a long throw-in, allowing Ledsham to finish.

On eight minutes Everton’s plight worsened as Kissock, the outstanding player in the first half, curled an excellent free kick past Polish new boy Mateus Taudal in goal from 30 yards.

Even though Kissock was substituted with a slight injury at half-time and Everton improved slightly as the second half progressed, Southport skipper Alan Moogan lifting one of the country’s oldest cups.

Whether their exertions in Moscow had taken their toll, or this was simply an off-day, Stubbs and co will demand to see immediate improvements when his side of young prospects take on Marine next.

SOUTHPORT: McMillan, Smith, Owens (Lever 65), Akrigg, Grand, Moogan (McGinn 50), Whalley, Ledsham, Gray, Kissock (Spencer 45), Brown.

Taudul, Browning, Duffy, Mustafi, Bidwell, Forshaw, Barrow (Hope 50), Garbutt (Forrester 56), Lundstram, Baxter, Silva (Thomas, 70).

REFEREE: Joe Johnson.

MAN OF THE MATCH: John Paul Kissock.

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