Martina Fernandez’s brace ensured that Everton Women not only began a crucial month of football with their first league win at Goodison Park, but also guaranteed boss Brian Sorensen some much-needed breathing room as the Blues move to ninth place in the WSL with victory over Aston Villa.
In a fixture that usually favours the visitors, Ebony Salmon gave the Villains the lead on 13 minutes, only for the Toffees to restore parity through their No.5, who nodded home a Ruby Mace corner almost twenty minutes later.
And the same combination would again pay dividends late on in the second half when the Spaniard found herself alone and on the end of a perfect Mace centre to again head beyond Sabrina D’Angelo and send the vast majority of Goodison into raptures.
Courtney Brosnan was trusted in between the sticks and also the captain’s armband, behind a back four of Hannah Blundell, making her first start since her January loan move, Mace, Fernandez and Hikaru Kitagawa.
A midfield trio consisted of Rosa Van Gool, Honoka Hayashi and Clare Wheeler, with Yuka Momiki, Ornella Vignola and Inma Gabaro in the front three, the latter making her first start since her loan recall from Sevilla.
A scrappy opening ten minutes saw only one real chance for either side; the lively Momiki forcing a save from D’Angelo, who coped well with the Japan forward’s effort.
But it was Natalia Arroyo’s team who opened the scoring when Salmon intercepted a loose pass from Mace in the final third, which allowed the England forward to collect and finish past Brosnan to give her side the lead as history looked to be repeating itself.
Everton looked to respond through their biggest threat, Momiki, who went close when she was cleverly found by Vignola, only to see her effort deflected behind for a corner.
And it would be a corner where the Blues would restore parity through Fernandez. Mace atoned for her earlier error with an deep centre that evaded everyone but the former Barcelona star, who nodded home to level proceedings.
Villa threatened soon after and Brosnan could only parry Georgia Mullett’s effort into danger, but the England U-23’s follow-up flew over the crossbar.
Everton had their chances to take the lead before the break and were denied a penalty when Oceane Deslandes pulled down Wheeler following Momiki’s dangerous cross into the box, before Vignola struck the post moments later with a venomous strike from the edge of the area.
The hosts looked the more likely to score after the break, but resolute defending from the Toffees restricted their chances as Brosnan remained largely untroubled.
Sensing a change was needed, Sorensen called upon Aurora Galli and Maz Pacheco to replace van Gool and Gabarro, with the Italian’s ability to carry the ball forward proving useful as the game went on and the hosts took charge.
And their positivity was duly rewarded on 89 minutes when Mace made room on the edge of the area and delivered an enticing cross that Fernandez was only too happy to power home with her second header of the game as the Blues took the lead in the fixture for the first time.
Issy Hobson was introduced to shore up the ranks as the Toffees looked to hold out, the homegrown talent replaced the tireless Momiki, who left to a standing ovation.
And the applause continued as referee Stacey Fullicks blew her whistle to a huge sigh a relief as the Goodison Park winless hoodoo was finally ended, with Everton now turning their attention to London City Lionesses, who will host the Toffees on Sunday, 8 February, at 12pm GMT (7am ET, 4am PT).
