Everton beat Port Vale 2-1 in behind-closed-doors friendly at Hill Dickinson Stadium | OneFootball

Everton got off to a positive start at their new home after securing a 2-1 win over Port Vale in a friendly played behind closed doors at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

Charly Alcaraz became the first player from the men’s senior team to score at this venue.

James Garner also scored a sublime free-kick from 25 yards out to secure victory for David Moyes’ side as they continue to ramp up pre-season preparations.

The Blues had earlier drawn 1-1 with Accrington Stanley before losing 1-0 to Blackburn Rovers in their previous game.

They will now head to the United States for the Premier League Summer Series. Everton will face Bournemouth, West Ham and Manchester United in New Jersey, Chicago, and Atlanta, respectively.

Reader Comments (29)

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Stephen Meighan 2 Posted 22/07/2025 at 14:32:48

Suppose a win is a win.

Onwards and upwards.

Paul Hewitt 3 Posted 22/07/2025 at 14:50:18

Unbeaten at the new stadium.

Paul Kossoff 4 Posted 22/07/2025 at 15:10:23

Why was the first senior game at BMD in history, played to no one?

Can you imagine the other lot having built a new billion pound stadium, playing the first senior game behind closed doors? They would have 60,000 in, all paying full price and filmed for posterity, probably against a top side.

We, oh, first game at BMD, we don't want anyone seeing that, it must be behind closed doors, we are frightened that something will go wrong. It's more like the stadium isn't ready as someone cocked all the paint work up. Which is actually true by the way.

Ray Robinson 5 Posted 22/07/2025 at 15:16:44

Paul, I honestly think you're looking for something to beat the club up with.

Games behind closed doors are regularly played in the build-up to the new season - probably because they're arranged at very short notice. Liverpool themselves played one the other day. Nothing to do with painting work cockups.

Paul Kossoff 6 Posted 22/07/2025 at 15:38:43

Ray, but it's history, it's the first team's first game. Everton even ordered a drone video to be taken off YouTube the other day because they didn't want anyone seeing the first team train, that was history.

First training session at BMD. We can't see it. We couldn't go and see the first senior game at BMD.

As I said, the other lot would have had a capacity crowd, and bloody Sky Sports in 4k, and to know it. Yes, I do beat my team up a bit, sadly, most of the time they deserve it.

Iain Johnston 8 Posted 22/07/2025 at 16:16:42

Cracking free kick from Garner with Alcaraz being the first of the 1st team squad to score at BMD.

Michael Nisbet 9 Posted 22/07/2025 at 16:21:55

I believe, and I may be wrong here but, the Roma match is the third test event, which must be completed before we are allowed to officially start using the stadium in anger.

I don't suppose we would have been allowed to have fans at the Port Vale match if they'd wanted to.

Minik Hansen 10 Posted 22/07/2025 at 16:45:31

So Port Vale scored first, in the hystory of BMD first senior team match. No mention of who from Port Vale.. Because it's behind closed doors? Because it's unofficial?

On that note, good to see Charly and Garner hitting the net.

Jake FitzGerald 11 Posted 22/07/2025 at 17:04:06

And if you know your hystory…

Minik Hansen 12 Posted 22/07/2025 at 18:20:56

From Port Vale OS:

"Ruari Paton becomes the first player to score past Everton in the brand-new Hill Dickinson Stadium as Darren Moore's Valiants lose narrowly to Premier League opposition in our latest pre-season outing."

Irish Ruari Paton (24) from Dublin, former U16 Ireland international. There you go.

Ian Jones 13 Posted 22/07/2025 at 18:22:48

Deleted post as Minik has named the Vale scorer...

Danny O'Neill 14 Posted 22/07/2025 at 19:11:14

Paul, as mentioned by Ray, it's quite common for some pre-season matches to be played behind closed doors and, until this one was announced a couple of days ago, it was not scheduled.

It wouldn't have been 60,000, as the dock doesn't hold that.

And attendees wouldn't have been paying full price. The Roma match is capped just below the maximum attendance at 50,000 and adult tickets were £25.

David West 15 Posted 22/07/2025 at 19:34:16

Been saying for while, the club should have had more friendlies for the first team at BMD (HD).

When the season starts, it's going to be tough, every team will have that bit of extra incentive to play well at the new ground.

It would've made sense to play a few full-house friendlies to let the players feel at home when the Premier League kicks off.

Don't see why people are against behind-closed-doors games; the more the lads play there, the more confident and comfortable they will be.

Danny 21. Did I say... We had a capacity of 60.000? I said they would have sixty thousand in, all paying full price and filmed for posterity, probably against a top side, and the Pope, blessing the pitch, and ordaining the new ground as a holy site!

It wouldn't matter what fans paid, Everton could have called it a charity game and gave all proceeds to Alder Hey hospital.

Danny, The Roma match is capped just below the maximum attendance at 50,000 probably because they will still be painting.😁

19 Posted 22/07/2025 at 20:08:59

My bad Paul,

I just read your post again and you were talking about them.

You'll have to excuse me. I need to go to the opticians, but I'm in stubborn denial!!

I still wouldn't read too much into behind closed doors or the result (again). More minutes on the pitch.

The stadium will be ready to go. It pretty much is now and will be gleaming come August.

The new official store has been turned around in weeks.

I would imagine 50,000 has been agreed to pass the 3rd test event. They need to hit 50,000, which has been sold out for weeks now. The email from the club requested that if you had purchased a ticket and could no longer attend, to return it for resale and receive a refund, as they have to hit the 50,000.

Liam Mogan 28 Posted 22/07/2025 at 22:20:38

You forgot Doucoure, Richarlison and Ashley Young

Ben King 29 Posted 22/07/2025 at 22:25:13

Mark #26

Is that true? Wonder why they were doing there if so?

Derek Thomas 30 Posted 22/07/2025 at 22:33:40

A number 1, King of the Hill.

Mark Murphy 31 Posted 22/07/2025 at 22:56:31

Why does anyone give a shit about who scored the “first goal” at BMD?IF the kopites bring it up ask them who scored the first umpteen goals at Anfield!

Brian Cleveland 32 Posted 23/07/2025 at 00:07:40

How do we know it was a sublime free kick if nobody was watching?A bit like a tree falling in the forest, etc...

Mark 31. Thy can't take this record away from us.

Anfield's first league match was played on 8 September 1888, between Everton and Accrington F.C.

Everton became Anfield's first league champions in the 1890–91 season.

Everton v Accrington. Everton won 2 1. George Fleming scored the first ever league goal at Anfield.

Attendance: 12,000.

Referee: Mr. John James Bentley; umpire: Mr. O. Oldham.

Everton (2-3-5): Robert Smalley, Alec Dick, Nick Ross, Johnny Holt, Robert Jones, George Dobson, George Fleming, David Waugh, William Lewis, Edgar Chadwick, George Farmer.

Accrington (2-3-5): John Horne, John Stevenson, Jack McLellan, George Haworth, Jonathan Wilkinson, Luther Pemberton, Joe Lofthouse, Jim Bonar, Jack Kirkham, J. Holden, Peter Chippendale.