Blues come back twice to claim a point and keep Europe in sight

Brentford 2 - 2 Everton

Everton were back in action after a 3-week break and were still half-asleep as they went behind to an early penalty for Brentford at the GTech Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon. A good contest ensued wth Everton pulling goals back through Beto and then Dewsbury-Hall in added time, with both teams still level on points in the chase for Champions League places.

Grealish and Alacaraz are the only expected absentees, Branthwaite replacing Keane, with Armstrong and Aznou missing out.

First Half

Pickford was called into action early as Schade came around Pickford, who fouled him... Foul, yellow card and penalty in the first minute! Thiago drove the spot-kick home to give Brentford an early lead.

The Blues were totally shell-shocked and had no immediate answer to this huge setback.  But Everton finally got forward, Ndiaye benefiting from a turnover and Beto‘s shot deflected behind. The corner from McNeil was cleared.

Everton’s play continued to be scrappy, Gana giving the ball away, and the Blues were reticent to press too hard in recovery.

Dewsbury-Hall drove forward through the middle with McNeil, but Beto was well marshalled and could only push his marker for a foul. Branthwaite then stepped forward, Brentford backing off, and from nothing he lashed a shot just wide.

Everton were not pressing the home side at all and a wicked ball in almost caused havoc. Everton got upfield and Dewsbury-Hall fired a brilliant cross that Beto stretched for but missed. From a throw-in, a snapshot from Gana forced a great save from Kelleher, whose parry out to Beto forced another save, along with the offside flag. Everton should have scored.

Some great work out wide from O'Brien forced his way past Potter that Brentford wanted a foul for but the ball back to Gana saw a lovely first-time cross that Beto nodded it at the far post. Blues back in the game!

Some good pressure from Brentford needed decent clearances until Tarkowski was fouled. It got a bit physical, Gana in with a brilliantly timed tackle to stop Thiago progressing. But it was more open, although Gana mistimed his tackle on Jensen.

It had taken the best part of 30 minutes but Everton were getting a lot of the ball, but Brentford mounted a good counter, Jensen seeing a chance and firing a tremendous shot that was going just inside the post, Pickford launching himself for a super fingertip save. Nothing came of the corner.

Brentford stayed high and another difficult cross forced Mykolenko to concede another corner. The delivery was superb Pickford saving Schade's header off the bar but then down to make another instant save from Ouattara before Branthwaite had to block desperately to prevent Thiago from scoring.

More Brentford pressure saw Ouattara move ahead and ready to shoot but his shot excellently blocked. Everton responded, a ball in testing Kelleher with Ndiaye in attendance. Another good cross in from McNeil saw Beto sandwiched.

Another drive forward by the all-Blues threatened again. The blues were working hard to try and create something, another great cross in from McNeil forcing good contact from Kelleher.

A great cross in from Brentford was headed away strongly by Branthwaite before the extra 5 minutes were up.

Second Half

The Bees kicked off the second half and drove forward until they encountered Tarkowski. Garner committed his first foul and was booked for it. A tremendous delivery from Jensen, Collins heading it onto the crossbar.

Brentford continued to have the most of the ball and kept pressing forward, Everton having to defend deeply. When they did turn it over, a loose pass lost possession again.

Brentford had to block again another Schade shot from a backheader off Thiago. At the other end, Ndiaye danced in from the left but lost the ball but it was worked around; however, O'Brien's throw went behind.  McNeil tried to find Ndiaye with an ambitious crossfield ball that also went beyond him and behind.

From a midfield free-kick, Garner played a brilliant ground ball for Beto to run onto but he was a fraction late and Kelleher gathered it ahead of him. Everton seemed to have weathered the post-half-time onslaught.

Dewsbury-Hall got possession and drove a great ball down the wing to Ndiaye who came inside and shot, his deflected effort blocked by  Kelleher's foot as he readjusted brilliantly to deny a certain goal.

The intensity was increasing as both sides felt one more goal could swing this tense affair, Brentford attacking with vigour. Jensen fired a shot high over Pickford's goal.

McNeil almost released Beto before he picked up the ball again but his shot was blocked and Brentford were on the attack again.  It was all hands in Everton's penalty area, as Jensen put in a long throw that Beto half-cleared.

Pickford bowled it forward and it looked like Dewsbury-Hall had to score but he chose to pirouette, and it gave Kelleher the chance to block him. That led to three changes by Moyes with a quarter-hour left.

But the changes unfortunately had the opposite effect, Thiago scampering in unchallenged and Kayode deflecting his shot past Pickford. Oh dear!

George had room to shoot but his aim was seriously wayward as Eveton tried to counter but were too slow in the build-up and easily thwarted. George finally got behind the line but his cross did not reach Barry. He tried again and Ndiaye's header won a corner but that was cleared.

A great Everton move down the left saw a fierce shot from George parried behind by Kelleher, who also cleared the corner away, Brentford looking to break. But time was running out for the Blues, with only 3 minutes added on.

Everton drew everyone back for a long throw and had no one forward when Branthwaite cleared.  But they did work their way forward, Ndiaye playing it back for Ob'rien to shoit but his shot was blocked out to the left where Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall fairly hammered it in from a narrow angle. Great goal.

Lewis Potter was determined to get The Bees ahead, though and a brilliant bit of work saw his teasing cross glance off Schade, and it was enough to put Thiago off as the ball would have fallen niceely for him at the far post.

But that was the last bit of action and well-earned draw for Everton that looked a bit unlikely after that dreadful start.

Brentford : Kelleher, Lewis-Potter, Collins, Van den Berg, Kayode, Jensen, Yarmoliuk, Schade, Damsgaard (46' Nelson), Ouattara, Thiago.

Everton: Pickford [Y:2'], O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gana (74' Iroegbunam), Garner [Y:47'], McNeil, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye (74' George), Beto (74' Barry).

Subs not Used:  Travers, Patterson, Keane, Dibling, Coleman, Röhl,.

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Reader Comments (26)

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John Wignall 9 Posted 11/04/2026 at 15:29:38

Beto great header 1.1

John Collins 10 Posted 11/04/2026 at 15:55:37

A point at Brentford is always a decent point.

These are different circumstances, we are playing well enough to win this.

Dave Abrahams 11 Posted 11/04/2026 at 15:56:38

Very slow start but we gradually got back into the game and looked the stronger team as half-time was called.

Brentford had brief times from corners when they looked dangerous but their slow build-up is helping Everton and I think Everton can get the 3 points if we get ahead in the second half.

Alan J Thompson 12 Posted 11/04/2026 at 15:57:03

The first 20 minutes or so reminded me of the Chelsea game, one team really putting in the effort and the other just walking it around.

The Brentford goal I put down to Tarkowski as he just seemed to stop and let his man go, at the very least leave it to somebody else. And why did Pickford go in like that rather than with his hands?

Then our equalizer, just as I thought that O'Brien had lost it but a cross right on Beto's noggin.

And who let Pickford out dressed like that!?! Has somebody forgotten which side of Merseyside we are?

Alan J Thompson 14 Posted 11/04/2026 at 17:08:35

Given the effort and the lack of any obvious plan, a point is better than looked likely.

Brentford didn't look quite so energetic in the second half but still seemed to be putting in more than we did which looked at times like we just wanted to settle back and settle for the draw.

Dewsbury-Hall was through and should have just taken the shot but summed up our effort by ending up doing nothing. We looked a lot better when George came on, gave us some pace and intention and it took until the last minute of normal time for us to get more in the box for the equalizer.

We must go out with more of a game plan than seemed obvious here.

Michael Kenrick 16 Posted 11/04/2026 at 17:17:14

6-pointer for the Champions League.

Ended up as a close-run 1-pointer (each) -- or is that a 2-pointer? -- with perhaps both teams now a little further from qualifying.

Did the pressure get our lot? Or were they still confused, trying to understand Moyes's last-minute instructions as they took to the field in a daze?

At least the Blues in the away end saw a great finish to the game from Dewsbury-Hall -- now if only he'd done something different for his one-on-one with Kellerher.

Martin Berry 17 Posted 11/04/2026 at 17:17:21

A good point in the end with both teams giving their all.

Brentford are not to be underestimated and work very hard, add the long ball threat and you can see why they are where they are in the Premier League.

I thought Moyes got his three subs spot on. George did more in 10 minutes that McNeil did in the whole game, he looked a real threat, whereas Iroegbunam shored up the midfield and Barry came on for a tiring Beto who played really well.

I think we will be happy with that draw on reflection and no reason why we can't take it to our next match when we beat the "Dark Side"!

Mike Powell 19 Posted 11/04/2026 at 17:28:28

Both their goals were down to bad defending.

I was made up we got a point, but we weren't very good in the second half.

Every time we have a chance to close on the Red Shite, we blow it.

Ian Bennett 20 Posted 11/04/2026 at 17:35:55

I know it's obvious, but two terrible goals to concede.

First no one attacking the ball, and no help from Tarkowski. Centre-backs have got to do better.

Dave Abrahams 22 Posted 11/04/2026 at 18:02:58

I don't know if that long break took some of the aggression out of Everton's game but they only played like they wanted to win in some parts of the game.

Nevertheless, we never gave up and rescued a point very close to the end which keeps us in chase for the Champions League.

I agree with John @18 that George had a good game when he came on and will add to our attacking game in the last six matches of the season.

James Garner stood out for me but Dewsbury-Hall will get MotM for that last-minute goal -- or possibly Pickford for a couple of very good saves in the first half.

John Collins 24 Posted 11/04/2026 at 18:06:16

The Knight on a white charger to the rescue.

They are making them up now.

Mike Gaynes 25 Posted 11/04/2026 at 18:06:21

Sad news shared on the Forum today, the passing of Gerry Quinn's wife Cathie, who has suffered from cancer for the past few months.

Christy Ring 26 Posted 11/04/2026 at 18:07:03

John @21,

They showed the goal at half-time and it was Tarkowski who let the ball hop, and himself and Mykolenko were ball watching; two bad goals to give away.

I thought George did well with plenty of pace. Armstrong didn't make the bench (Is he injured?) considering we had two right-backs on the bench.

Ian Bennett 27 Posted 11/04/2026 at 18:08:52

So many mistakes John, it is hard not to lose count.

Branthwaite under the ball. Tarkowski & Mykolenko no cover, Pickford with a trip. Schade runs past Tarkowski with ease.

A complete mess.

John Collins 28 Posted 11/04/2026 at 18:09:14

I thought Jarrad Branthwaite should have positioned himself better to challenge for the header, Christy.

A ball like that should never be allowed to bounce.

Ged Simpson 29 Posted 11/04/2026 at 18:10:51

Poor defence, twice, but I was made up to see that late equaliser.

Still chuffed.

Maybe my expectations are still based on recent years?

Champions League? Umm. Not there yet to compete, methinks.

John Collins 30 Posted 11/04/2026 at 18:11:44

Agree, Ian, schoolboy errors.

The second was poor as well. How the kid was allowed to run from the touchline to have a shot, I don't know.

I posted at half-time, a point at Brentford is a decent point.

Peter Mills 31 Posted 11/04/2026 at 18:19:33

Mike #25, sincere condolences and respect to Gerry and his family on their loss.

Neil Tyrrell 32 Posted 11/04/2026 at 18:27:19

Condolences to Gerry Quinn on his loss 💙

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