Scott Phelan has pointed to the importance of togetherness after goals from Yuka Momiki and Kelly Gago gave the Toffees a fourth straight league win, as the Blues move above London City Lionesses into sixth.
Everton were ahead after 12 minutes through Momiki, whose powerful drive beat Lize Kop, but the hosts drew level deep in to the second-half as Signe Gaupset beat Courtney Brosnan with 14 minutes remaining.
But is was the Blues that secured all three points when substitute Gago combined with Inma
Gabarro combined to see the former tap home seven minutes later to give Phelan a belated birthday gift and his third league win since taking the reins last month.
And the boss was full of praise for his side’s efforts and feels that the team’s togetherness is really paying off.
“I’m over the moon and proud of the effort the girls have had to put in,” he said. “We’ve had two real tough away games in the league since I’ve been here; London City was tough for a number of reasons, an emotional week, and they had to put a big effort into that one, physically.
“We’ve had the home game against West Ham and then this one which was big challenge because we were up a against a real talented team. They have some good players and are well coached.
“We knew that before we arrived and we knew that if we were going to anything from today it would have to be a big collective effort.
“But that is what we have stressed to them, from day one. Anything that we do comes from doing things together. It’s easer when we do things together and there were moments today when we had to show that, which was probably the second half.”
Brosnan was once again trusted with the armband and stood behind a backline of Hannah Blundell, Martina Fernandez, Ruby Mace and Maz Pacheco
Rosa van Gool and Aurora Galli sat deep in midfield, with Zara Kramzar assuming the No.1o role in her first start since making her loan move in January
Momiki, Ornella Vignola and Toni Payne led the line, all of whom will have been even acutely aware to make of Gago being back in the squad following injury and reports of the France international wanting to leave.
And it was Everton started on the front foot, with Kop having to deny Payne an early opener with not even a minute on the clock.
The forward collect Galli’s threaded through ball but the stopper reacted quickly to narrow the angle and produce a smart save.
The keeper was called in to action once more from the resulting corner and did well to collect van Gool’s volley after Mace’s corner was only half-cleared.
But the Netherlands international could do nothing to prevent Momiki from giving her side the lead on 12 minutes.
Kramzar found the 29-year-old on the edge of the box, and the Japan international glided past Molly Bartrip before shifting the ball on to her stronger foot and letting fly to give Kop no chance.
Out of the two sides it was the visitors who looked more likely to score and Payne nearly did so on 38 minutes. The Nigerian controlled Vignola’s cross-field ball but her looping volley went just wide.
The second half started in a more cagey fashion with Martin Ho’s side enjoying the majority of possession without really troubling Brosnan.
But with 65 minutes on the clock, Phelan looked to his bench for the first time and called upon Melissa Lawley to replace Payne down the right flank, who will have felt hard done given her afternoon’s efforts.
Pacheco came close to netting her first goal for the Club nine minutes later, but looped a curling header just over the crossbar with Kop beaten.
Against the run of play, the hosts equalised moments later through Gaupset, who found the bottom left corner despite a tight angle.
Phelan was not done with rolling the dice, and looked to Gago, with the excellent Momiki making way for the French star on 79 minutes.
And it proved to be an inspired decision, as Gabarro teed up Gago for a late winner on 83 minutes to make it four league wins in four.
Everton return to action on Saturday, 21 March, a 12pm GMT 7am ET, 4am PT) to face Manchester United, before the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Saturday 28 March.
