Everton took another step towards an historic move to their stunning new stadium as the club hosted a second test event at the waterfront venue.
The Blues' Under-21s overcame Bolton Wanderers B in front of 25,000 supporters on Sunday afternoon, Paul Tait's side scoring the only goal through Kingsford Boakye. The young striker’s header was the first goal from open play to be scored by a home player at the ground.
The match ended early with a stadium evacuation - a requirement as the club attempts to acquire the safety certificate needed for the summer transition to go ahead.
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That procedure appeared to have been a success as thousands filed calmly out of the ground after the announcement of Operation Everton Stadium in the 67th minute. Fans had been warned of the evacuation in advance and had a pre-warning when a standby message was broadcast over the speakers just before the referee blew up and the stands began to empty.
The controlled evacuation came with Everton on top, having just opened the scoring and gone close with second half efforts from Jacob Beaumont-Clark, Omari Benjamin and another from Boakye.
The final whistle meant Tait’s team became the first Everton side to win at the new ground, sparking a quick celebration on the pitch from the players as the supporters started to leave the stadium.
The evacuation was assessed by safety agencies and, provided they are happy with how it unfolded, another box on the club's journey towards official sign-off for the move will be ticked.
The second test event came one month after Everton's U18s fell to a 2-1 defeat against Wigan Athletic's U18s in front of 10,000 supporters. On that night, only the South Stand was open.
All four sides of the ground hosted spectators in this latest event. A third test match, in which the capacity will again be increased, is set to follow in the coming months.
The match with Bolton took place under grey skies but amid high spirits as another swathe of the fanbase savoured their first taste of Everton Stadium. Regent Road, which runs alongside the stadium site, buzzed with excitement hours before the game as bars and pubs filled with Blues.
Beyond the dock walls the fan plaza was a focal point for arriving supporters, with live music and an interview with stadium architect Dan Meis taking place outside the East Stand as the club tested its fanzone for the first time.
Meanwhile, families congregated around the fenced-off Everton Way, a touching feature of the new ground that will feature 36,000 commemorative bricks that have been inscribed with supporter messages to loved ones.
Inside, the concourses were filled with supporters testing the new menu, with salt and pepper chicken and the 'Toffee Blue' doughnuts among the most popular options enjoyed by supporters against the continuous counter that lines the South Stand windows and offers incredible views across the docklands towards Liverpool city centre.
Z-Cars once again blared out of the speakers to announce the arrival of the teams just before 2pm, leading to another roar from the almost full South Stand. Everton's side included 17-year-old striker Braiden Graham, who in starting this match became the first player to feature twice at the ground - the Northern Ireland youth international having hit the woodwork for the U18s in February.
Hunting to become the first Everton side to win on the banks of the Mersey, Tait's side came close after five minutes when Martin Sherif - who spent much of February on the bench of David Moyes' Premier League matchday squad - forced a diving stop from Liam Hutchinson with a back post header from a corner. His volley from the rebound inspired another important stop.
There were groans around the stadium at half-time when it was announced that trains on the Southport Merseyrail line had been stopped - though amid a flurry of chances and announcements in the second half, supporters were told services had resumed. They were temporarily halted due to a trespasser on the track around the Seaforth and Litherland area.
Supporters had the moment they had been waiting for just after the hour mark, when Roman Dixon - who made his senior debut against Tottenham Hotspur earlier this season - burst down the right and crossed for Boakye to score in front of the South Stand. The 20-year-old had the chance to grab a second soon after but was unable to convert and, minutes later, the evacuation was announced.
