Everton U21 coach Alan Stubbs was disappointed with his players after they were dumped out of the Liverpool Senior Cup by Bootle.
Ninety minutes of football could not conjure up a goal, with the young Blues suffering elimination at the semi-final stage following a 7-6 penalty shootout defeat.
Stubbs told evertontv: "The pitch was a real leveller. Our lads are used to playing on carpets and tonight showed that. The ball was bobbling around - that's what you got in the lower regions of the Football League - but there are no excuses.
"It was a test, not of ability because we know we have got far better players, but of character. I'd like to have seen a few more roll their sleeves up and have a bit more of a go."
