It was in the 70th minute at Walton Hall Park - with Everton already on course for an impressive victory over mid-table rivals West Ham United- that Aggie Beever-Jones picked up the ball on the edge of the area and unleashed a venomous strike into the top right corner.
It was an important moment in the context of Everton's season; the goal sealing the club's third consecutive league win in quite spectacular fashion. But, more importantly, it was a moment that held particular significance for the goalscorer, with the stunning effort also marking Beever-Jones' first goal in the WSL.
The young striker arrived on Merseyside on a season-long loan from Chelsea in the summer and has since gone on to make 12 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees. And while she has had to wait patiently to notch her first league goal for her new club, she is hopeful her strike against the Hammers will be the first of many in Royal Blue.
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"Coming from Chelsea, you have a bit of a reputation," Beever-Jones told the ECHO. "Obviously I wanted the (WSL goal) to come sooner but I’d like to think it was a good goal to make up for the time I’ve not scored!
"It comes down to practising and I’ve been practising with all the coaches my shooting and finishing. It was a weight off my shoulders getting that goal. It’s great scoring and providing goals but it comes down to our performances too and now goals are coming from all over the park which is even better."
With Everton, Beever-Jones is part of the youngest squad in the WSL - a team that continues to defy expectations after last season's dismal campaign saw them stutter to a tenth-placed finish following the dismissal of two permanent managers in the space of four months. Brian Sorensen's arrival in the summer heralded something of a new dawn for the Toffees, who currently sit fifth in the table after a string of eye-catching displays.
"I love the whole atmosphere at the club. We’re obviously in a good place in the league so everything’s clicking, not only for me personally but as a team we’re in a really good place as well," the 19-year-old said.
"Obviously we’ve got our tactics and the way we want to play and it’s starting to click at the moment. Intrinsically as a team we can feel that and we’re understanding one another. I think that’s something at the start of the season a few people had a few doubts about but I think it’s really coming together now and the pieces are clicking."
It's been a whirlwind few years for Beever-Jones, who penned her first professional deal for Chelsea in July 2021 before spending last season on loan at Championship side Bristol City. The London-native has also had a taste of life on the international stage, having represented England at Under-23s level but, while she harbours dreams of winning a call-up to the Lionesses senior squad, her current focus is firmly on honing her game at Everton and helping the Blues to a top-half WSL finish.
"I’m only 19 so I just want to experience as much as I can and be a sponge to all of the information I’m getting - positive and negative - and find out what I need to work on," the teenager said. "Game time is massive as a young player and the more you play the more confidence you have.
"I think I’m getting into a good rhythm now so it’s just about keeping that up. As a team, we’re just taking it one game at a time but we have high hopes and we know what we can achieve as a team come the end of the season."
And Everton will get the chance to test just how far they've come under their new manager when they travel to league leaders Manchester United on Sunday. Marc Skinner's side have lost just one game all season and beat the Toffees 3-0 in the reverse fixture at Walton Hall Park in October.
But Beever-Jones is confident Everton will give a better account of themselves when they make the trip to Leigh Sports Village.
"I think the main feeling across training this week has just been excitement," she said. "We’re obviously in good form at the moment. We had the loss last weekend (against Birmingham in the FA Cup) but I think we needed that to show that it’s not always going to be smooth sailing and we’ve been able to iron out those things that need to be fixed.
"I think we’re mentally and physically in a good place to take on United. They obviously have very good individual players and they play well as a team but we do that too so it will come down to us being able to input our tactics so hopefully we can do that and get the three points."
Everton Women play their home games at Walton Hall Park and will be in action against Aston Villa on March 5. Tickets are free for Season Ticket, Lounge and Official Member. Tickets, priced at £4 for juniors and £8 for adults can be purchased here.
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