Braiden Graham Stars in Everton U21s' Thrilling 6-3 Loss to Stockport

Everton’s youngsters were dragged through the full emotional wringer at Edgeley Park – three goals down, then level in stunning fashion, only to be blown away again in a 6-3 defeat that laid bare both their promise and their naivety.

On a night when the scoreline lurched all over the place, one thing stayed constant: Braiden Graham looked a level above.

Stockport rotate, but still ruthless

Jimmy McNulty ripped up his Stockport County XI from the weekend, making 11 changes from the side that beat Plymouth Argyle 3-1 in League One. It didn’t blunt them.

Against an Everton Under-21s side now under the guidance of head of academy player development David Hughes, Stockport’s mix of fringe players and hungry attackers seized control early and rarely let go.

The opening goal carried a hint of controversy and a heavy dose of sloppiness from Everton. With the visitors waiting for an offside flag that never came, Callum Camps slipped a clever ball through to Malik Mothersille. George Pickford got a hand to the Jamaica international’s effort, but not enough to stop it rolling over the line on 11 minutes.

Stockport dominated the half. Everton tried to play out from the back. They were punished.

Captain William Tamen was caught on the ball and Camps was gifted a simple finish for 2-0 just before the break. Then came the real gut punch: with the final touch of the half, Jason Adigun slid the ball through Tamen’s legs and picked out Mika Mandron, who made it three. Everton trudged off looking shell-shocked.

Graham drags Everton back from the brink

Whatever was said at half-time worked. Everton came out transformed, front-footed, and suddenly dangerous.

On 51 minutes, Graham – operating wide on the right – produced a moment of real quality, whipping in a smart cross that found Joel Catesby. The forward, who suffered a broken leg in this competition at Bradford last October, took his chance with an assured finish. A cathartic moment and a lifeline.

The pressure finally told again three minutes later. Melvin Matos was chopped down in the box by Owen Moxon and Graham grabbed the ball. No fuss, no nerves. He sent Lucas Ashby-Hammond the wrong way, tucking his penalty to the keeper’s right. From 3-0 down to 3-2, Everton suddenly believed.

Stockport wobbled. Everton sensed it.

On 77 minutes, Graham completed a remarkable personal performance with the pick of the goals. Picking up the ball on the edge of the area, the Northern Ireland prospect shaped his body and curled a superb strike beyond Ashby-Hammond. From nowhere, 3-3. The away bench erupted. For a brief spell, it felt like the comeback was on.

Then it all fell apart again.

Late collapse kills comeback

Everton’s joy lasted barely a minute. Straight from the restart, substitute Tayo Edun arrived at the back post and lashed in to restore Stockport’s lead.

The young Blues were still reeling when Mothersille struck again just 60 seconds later, sliding in a calm, low finish to make it 5-3. Defensive structure vanished, composure went with it, and the earlier bravery in possession turned into chaos.

In stoppage time, Mothersille completed his hat-trick, capping a ruthless display and sealing a 6-3 scoreline that felt harsh on Graham but fair on a fragile Everton back line.

For Hughes and his staff, the attacking flair and character to claw it back from 3-0 down will offer some encouragement. The way they crumbled once more will not.

Everton U21s player ratings

George Pickford – 5 Made decent stops from Adigun and Mandron but conceded six and will replay the first goal in his mind, having got a hand to Mothersille’s shot. One poor kick straight at Mandron summed up a jittery evening.
George Finney – 5 Committed but exposed. The teenager, who has had a loan spell at Ayr United, battled away yet looked raw and over-stretched. A reminder he is not a ready-made answer to Everton’s wider right-back issues.
William Tamen – 4 A bruising night for the captain. Dispossessed in the build-up to Stockport’s second, nutmegged by Adigun for the third, and earlier guilty of gifting possession to Ryan Rydel. Helped Tranmere Rovers stay in the EFL last season, but this was a step backwards.
Luis Gardner – 5 Part of a centre-back pairing that never really settled in the first half. Avoided the glaring individual errors that haunted Tamen, but one wildly over-hit diagonal summed up a shaky display.
Joshua Van Schoor – 5 Pinned deep for long spells and rarely able to break forward as he has done recently. Booked for a challenge on Mothersille that had the home crowd baying for a red. Spent more time firefighting than influencing.
Harvey Foster – 5 After the high of scoring for the first team at Dundee last month, this was a sobering comedown. Often chasing shadows as Stockport swarmed through midfield.
Harry Brookes – 5 Overrun before the break as Everton lost the central battle. Stayed on long enough to be part of the second-half revival but was the first man withdrawn.
Braiden Graham – 9 Outstanding. Everton’s brightest spark again, this time from the right. Delivered a precise cross for Catesby’s goal, buried his penalty with authority, and then curled in a superb equaliser from the edge of the area. On a chaotic night, he looked composed, inventive and dangerous throughout.
Melvin Matos – 7 Involved from the first whistle. Suffered a nasty head knock and returned with a bandage and an unnumbered shirt after his was bloodied. Clattered into Arttu Hoskonen, went down under Lewis Fiorini’s challenge, and then earned the penalty after Moxon’s foul. Relentless, disruptive, and brave.
Joel Catesby – 8 A special moment for the Birkenhead-born forward. Having broken his leg in this competition last October, he marked his return with a cool finish from Graham’s delivery. Movement was sharp, touch was clean, and the goal will feel huge for him.
Ceiran Loney – 5 Toiled without reward. Went one-on-one with Ashby-Hammond but lacked conviction as the keeper cleared. Later failed to find the right angle after being teed up by Justin Clarke. Worked hard, but the cutting edge was missing.

Substitutes

Jack Patterson (on 57 for Harry Brookes) – 6 Injected energy and legs into midfield, helping Everton sustain pressure during their best spell.
Justin Clarke (on 70 for Joel Catesby) – 7 Made an impact from the bench, crafting an inviting opening for Loney and adding drive in the final third.
Aled Thomas (on 83 for Luis Gardner) Arrived just before Stockport’s fifth. Too late to influence the contest.
Omari Benjamin (on 83 for Melvin Matos) Another late introduction with the game slipping away around him.
Jonathan Nsangou (on 83 for Ceiran Loney) Given minutes at the end as Everton’s defence unravelled again.

Everton’s youngsters leave Edgeley Park with no points, six goals against and one standout performer in Graham. The question now is whether they can turn this raw, chaotic lesson into something more durable as their EFL Trophy campaign unfolds.