Alexandersson First Touches of Football after Injury

Niclas Alexandersson received his first taste of football in three months on Tuesday night as Everton Reserves lost 0-2 to Middlesbrough at the Halton Stadium.

Andy Holden handed a debut to 15-year old Sean Lake, who gave a good account of himself on another cold evening in Cheshire.

The visitors' first attack almost produced the opening goal of the game.

Dean Windass looked to have profited from a defensive mix-up when his dipping shot on the volley was tipped over the bar by the Bootle born teenager.

Lake was untroubled when Stewart Downing”¦s curling shot from 25-yards drifted just wide, while it was only Carlos Marinelli”¦s poor finishing that let him down after the talented Italian embarked on a wonderful solo run from deep inside his own half.

Everton had their chances too and when David Carney whipped in a corner, Steve Watson was unlucky to see his free-header drift wide at the near post.

Alexandersson gave a tidy performance in his first game back since the 2-3 defeat at Villa Park and created the Toffees' best chance of the half. Winning back possession in the centre circle, the Swede then put an accurate ball into the area that would surely have been converted by Kevin McLeod, had it not been for the timely block of Andrew Davies.

'Boro could and should have taken the lead just after the half-hour when Craig Dove was played through on goal. Somehow, the linesman”¦s flag stayed down and with just the ”„keeper to beat, the young midfielder struck the ball against the base of the post.

The Teessider's opening goal came on 43 minutes and it was a soft one to concede. A corner from the right-hand side found David Murphy completely unmarked and he headed home from 12 yards out to send the Blues behind at the interval.

As pre-arranged Alexandersson didn't return for the second-half and was replaced by youngster Steven Beck.

The substitution did little to change the game and there were warning signs two minutes after the break when the Everton defence scrambled an opportunity off the line, but Middlesbrough's second was soon in coming.

Another Tony Vidmar corner from the right-hand side left the Blues' rearguard in disarray as Craig Dove rose above the bodies in the area to power a header past Lake.

Everton's best chance of the half came when McLeod's dangerous ball from the left hand side found Beck lurking in the box, but his powerful downward header crept just wide of the post.

The game fizzled out as a spectacle soon afterwards as 'Boro defended their lead in numbers, limiting Holden's side to a handful of opportunities as they slipped to their second successive defeat without scoring.