ARNOUX TO THE RESCUE FOR BLUES.

EVERTON RES .1 S'NDLAND RES1 EVERTON Reserves were held to a 1-1 draw by Sunderland on a night that saw Jose Baxter fail to score from the penalty spot.

The striker had the opportunity to put Andy Holden's side ahead in the first half after a handball saw the referee point to the spot.

Baxter's effort though failed to give the Blues the lead and was saved by Trevor Carson, the ball heading straight down the centre of goal into the keeper's arms.

Just seconds before the half-time whistle Sunderland made Everton pay for their failure to convert and snatched the lead through Ryan Noble.

The young striker fired the ball into the back of the net over the top of Blues keeper Carlo Nash.

Everton started the second half brightly and Cody Arnoux soon equalised with a coolly taken shot on 53 minutes.

And the American forward had the chance to double the Blues' tally moments later, but his shot skimmed the side netting.

With the action hotting up, Nash pulled off a superb save, diving to his right to punch Sunderland's second half effort clear and keep the score level to earn the Blues a point.