Ipswıich come from behind to poil Goodison Park party 2-2
Ipswich came from two goals down to secure a draw at Everton in the hosts’ penultimate game at Goodison Park.
The Toffees leave the stadium they have called home since 1892 at the end of the season to move to Bramley-Moore Dock.
In their final Saturday kick-off at Goodison Park – the first was 48,293 days ago when Everton beat Preston 6-0 in February 1893 – the players were greeted by a party atmosphere as they emerged from the tunnel to the tune of Z-Cars.
Graeme Sharp and Peter Reid, who won two First Division titles and the FA Cup with Everton, were among the former players in attendance.
The endorphins initially played in Everton’s favour as Beto and Dwight McNeil scored in the space of nine first-half minutes.
However, a moment of individual brilliance from Julio Enciso offered Ipswich a route back into proceedings shortly before the break.
As Everton pressed for a third, Ipswich struck on the counter wih George Hirst finding space to equalise with his head at the back post.
The draw takes Everton up to 14th at the expense of Manchester United, with Ipswich remaining 18th.
Everton run out of steam
Members of fan group The 1878s – a reference to when the club was founded – had laid out blue cards for supporters to hold up, while a swirl of blue, white and yellow ticker tape rained down on the players as they stepped on to the field.
Legendary managers and players of the past were celebrated by a sea of flags and banners waved proudly across the Gwladys Street stand, with one reading: “We built this city – since 1878.”
The players rose to the occasion with a positive start and Beto had already spurned two opportunities by the time he snuck between two defenders and headed Everton in front on 26 minutes.
McNeil ensured the momentum remained with the Toffees when his low-driven shot placed them firmly in the driving seat.
But Enciso’s dipping effort crashed off the bar and beyond Jordan Pickford to reduce the deficit and dampen the mood – and Everton were unable to find their groove again in the second period.
With Beto struggling to impose himself, Dominic Calvert-Lewin came off the bench to make his first appearance since 25 January, but the striker – who is out of contract at the end of the season – did not get sight of goal.
The final say came at the other end when Hirst was afforded far too much space as he rose unchallenged to meet a deflected cross and level the game with just 11 minutes left to play.
It wasn’t the fairytale ending Everton had hoped for in their last Saturday at home, but they have another shot at a winning finale when they play their closing match at Goodison Park against Southampton on 18 May.
Ipswich going down with a fight
Ipswich’s relegation to the Championship was already confirmed with a 3-0 defeat at Newcastle last weekend and are now simply playing for pride.
With just one win from their past 15 fixtures and only four victories all season, picking up a result at a raucous Goodison Park always looked like a tall order.
The game appeared to be running away from them when they fell two goals behind, but Kieran McKenna will be delighted with the spirit and resilience they showed to come away with a point.
Enciso, who joined on loan from Brighton in January, was the catalyst for the comeback with his strike from 30 yards worthy of the occasion.
That effort was the foothold Ipswich needed to claw themselves back into the encounter, and Hirst could not miss from a yard out when heading in the equaliser.
Ipswich’s days in the Premier League are numbered and moments to celebrate have been few and far between, but their fans will depart Goodison Park with fond memories.
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