This Josh Bowler sounds decent. Any chance the 19 year old will make a senior appearance for us any time soon?
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David Unsworth hailed the magical influence of winger
Josh Bowler after Everton Under-23s staged a late fightback to beat Sheffield United 2-1 in their final Premier League Cup group game.
Everton had already secured progress to the knockout phase but strike pair
Bassala Sambou and
Manasse Mampala struck in the closing stages to overturn a one-goal deficit and propel the Blues to another three points.
“That’s the spirit in this group of players,” manager Unsworth told evertonfc.com.
“They wear the shirt with pride and know how important it is to win, no matter what’s at stake. There was nothing to play for other than pride and they were terrific. It keeps our good run going and we have some momentum behind us.
"It was a great second-half performance and two really good goals as well.”
Everton's victory stretched their unbeaten run to a sixth match in all competitions and sealed top spot in Group B ahead of the Premier League Cup's last-16 stage.
The Blues' best moment of a rather tepid first half came on 15 minutes when a corner from the left was cleared to the edge of the box where Matthew Foulds volleyed the loose ball just over.
The visitors should have taken the lead just after the half-hour mark when George Broadbent headed over from close range.
Two minutes into the second period, Mampala saw his effort from 10 yards take a defection that steered the ball past the post.
The opening goal came on the hour when United’s Reece York powered home a header from a corner on the right. Moments earlier, Sambou, on as a half-time replacement for fellow forward
Fraser Hornby, saw his glancing header from an Everton corner well-saved by Jake Eastwood.
Everton’s equaliser arrived with seven minutes to go. The hard-working Bowler centred low from the left and Sambou nipped in front of his marker to turn the ball past 'keeper Eastwood.
Bowler was also the provider of the winning goal in added time when he skipped across the edge of the United box before sliding the ball to Mampala, who finished with aplomb.
“
Josh Bowler was terrific,” said Unsworth. “We need to get the ball to his feet in the final third and that’s where you see his magic. He did great for both goals, he’s been out for a couple of weeks but that 90 minutes and the two assists will do him the world of good.”