3 May 2025
Everton 2 Ipswich Town 2
Everton welcomed Ipswich Town to Goodison Park for their penultimate game in front of their own fans before heading to pastures new. There have been many memories to take away from this old stadium when they finally move to Bramley-Moore Dock. Facing an already relegated side, the home faithful were hoping to see a dominant win from David Moyes’ side.
It was the hosts who started on the front foot, launching balls into the box. The Tractor Boys were looking unsure at the back as they have all season as it was finally scrambled behind for a corner. Branthwaite rose to head it back across goal, but Beto’s touch made for an easy save, much to the relief of Palmer who collected with ease.
Alcaraz then picked up the ball in the middle of the park and held it up well until Mykolenko arrived on the overlap. His attempted cross was blocked but the Argentine reacted quickest. He had time to look up before clipping a cross in towards Beto, who headed home to give The Toffees’ the lead. Goodison Park erupted as the ball nestled in the back of the net.
It was not the start Kieran McKenna wanted in this game but even he seems to be numb from what he sees out on the pitch from his side. No doubt he will have just been pleased that they were playing somewhere other than Portman Road. Their form at home has been worse than Germany during the ‘troubles’ of 1939-45.
In recent weeks, the Tractor Boys have had issues with keeping eleven players on the pitch. That almost repeated itself when Delap clattered into O’Brien just moments after having picked up a booking during a skirmish with the defender. The referee decided to give the striker another chance but the replay suggested he could have quite easily received a second yellow card and his marching orders.
The Toffees were finding it all too easy to find space in the final third of the pitch. On this occasion Patterson saw McNeil in the middle with the freedom of Liverpool. He shifted the ball onto his left foot and unleashed a drive from outside the box. It swerved viciously away from the keeper and went into the far corner to double Everton’s lead.
It was no more than David Moyes’ side had deserved, Ipswich had created nothing of note to ask any questions of Pickford. With just over half an hour of the game gone, it seemed like the hosts were heading to a comfortable victory over the visitors. As the sun beat down on Goodison Park, everything seemed to be coming up smelling of roses.
That said, moments later, Ipswich should have halved the deficit. Enciso cut inside from the left as Everton defenders just backed off him. He cut onto his right foot in the box and had the goal at his mercy. The on-loan Brighton man dragged his shot wide of the target when it seemed easier to score, summing up the season in one snapshot for the Tractor Boys.
He was proving to be the real threat from the visitors. Burgess played the ball to him some twenty-five yards from goal as he skipped past a challenge. The attacker unleashed a phenomenal shot from distance that arrowed into the goal, clipping the underside of the bar on its way in. Pickford had no chance of getting anywhere near it, well not with those short little arms.
After the interval Ipswich Town seemed to grow in confidence. Delap cut inside from the left, using his physical strength to hold defenders off before shifting it to Enciso to his right. He got a shot off but really didn’t connect well as Pickford made a simple save. The effort was straight at him, either side would have caused The Toffees’ keeper some concerns.
The return of McNeil from injury has completely changed Everton in the final third. His ability to use both feet really causes opponents problems. He bent a teasing cross into the box that Palmer had to tip behind at full-stretch at the expense of a corner. Players were queueing up at the back post to convert if the keeper had not dealt with it.
Challenges were flying in from both teams as things started to get a big heated. As a cross came in from the byline for the Tractor Boys it took a massive deflection, Hirst rose to head home at the back post. It was dreadful defending from Everton and the goal silenced Goodison Park. How quickly things can change in the Premier League is just why we love this game so much.
Ipswich held on for an impressive point on Merseyside. It was even more the case due to the fact they had not dropped their heads after going two-goals down. It was a definitely a point gained for the Tractor Boys whereas it could not be seen as anything other than two points dropped for The Toffees. Another season to forget for them.
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