Fleetwood 0-1 Everton: Demarai Gray’s first-half strike secures narrow EFL Cup win

Demarai Gray answered a late SOS to ensure Everton avoided an embarrassing cup upset at League One Fleetwood.

Gray was promoted from the substitutes’ bench shortly before kick off when intended starter Tom Davies felt a niggle in the warm-up.

It proved a lucky break for Frank Lampard who watched Gray – the only Everton player to have scored in the Premier League this season – coolly convert to put the visitors ahead after 28 minutes.

The importance of the goal became evident later on when Fleetwood piled on considerable pressure to make Everton’s Asmir Begovic busier of the two goalkeepers.

Everton haven’t won a major trophy since 1995 when Fleetwood were still a non-league club.

The Cod Army didn’t join the Football League until 2012 and the character of their manager Scott Brown, a renowned hard man from his Celtic playing days, guaranteed it would be a battle.

For Lampard, the incentive was a morale-boosting first win of the season. Amadou Onana, a £34million summer signing from Lille, was selected for his first Everton start as was 18-year-old central defender Reece Welch. Anthony Gordon, closing on a move to Chelsea, was on the bench.

Gray swept home the winner from Alex Iwobi’s incisive pass in the 28th minute

Everton started well but Salomon Rondon missed two good opportunities to underline why Lampard wants a striker before the window closes with Dominic Calvert-Lewin sidelined.

Alex Iwobi fired into the sidenetting while Dwight McNeil’s finish was tame after he’d been well set up by a buccaneering run from Nathan Patterson.

Fleetwood’s ground is called Highbury so it was nice to their lead striker Joe Garner wearing No14, his physicality disrupting Michael Keane even if he missed the elegance of Thierry Henry.

The underdogs also had a famous Everton name in their line-up though Scotsman Shaun Rooney is no relation to Wayne.

Everton’s Ruben Vinagre (left) and Fleetwood Town’s Cian Hayes battle for the ball

Gray rescued a point for Everton against Nottingham Forest on Saturday and he again showed his composure in front of goal to break the deadlock.

It was a well-constructed move with McNeil shifting the ball to Iwobi who in turned found Gray just inside the left edge of the penalty area. The finish into the bottom corner was unerring.

Fleetwood responded with a dominant spell in the final minutes before half-time. The previously underused Begovic suddenly had to be alert to twice foil Cian Hayes and then save a spinning shot from Harvey Macadam.

The home side upped the ante by sending on skipper Josh Vela at the interval and Begovic had to be alert to turn away a miscued header from his own player, Welch.

Fleetwood defender Danny Andrew jumps over Everton midfielder Dwight McNeil

Fleetwood sent on skipper Josh Vela and their pressure nearly told in the second half. Begovic had to claw away an attempted clearing header by Rondon.

When Hayes sped past Welch and fired another shot parried by Begovic, Lampard sent on the experienced James Tarkowski in his place. Patterson, whose last action was a strike on Fleetwood’s goal, also made way for Everton debutant Lewis Warrington.

There was a scare when Onana was caught on the shin and looked in pain before he was treated – the midfielder complaining to the fourth official about the treatment he was receiving.

Everton manager Frank Lampard shakes hands with Ruben Vinagre after the final whistle