Everton fell to a 4-1 defeat against Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday afternoon.
Katja Snoeijs fired the Blues into the lead inside ten minutes. The striker capitalised on a tame back-pass and rounded the ‘keeper to break the deadlock on ten minutes to reward her side for their excellent start.
Millie Turner equalised for the hosts on 57 minutes by heading home from a corner, with Ella Toone completing a quickfire double before Leah Galton netted a fourth to secure the three points for United.
Manager Brian Sørensen made one change to the side that were held to a goalless draw against Liverpool at Goodison Park last time out. Elise Stenevik returned from suspension to replace Emma Bissell, who dropped to the bench.
Nikita Parris whisked a strike wide of the mark inside five minutes. The forward cut-in onto her favoured foot and released a powerful strike that sailed just past the target.
Sixty seconds later, Katherine Kühl hit the woodwork with a curling strike from the edge of the area. Found centrally, the Dane twisted and turned before letting fly and was inches away from opening the scoring.
The Blues’ early pressure paid off as Snoeijs intercepted a weak back-pass from Maya Le Tissier before rounding Mary Earps and slotting the ball into the bottom right corner on 10 minutes.
The hosts searched for an equaliser and came close on 36 minutes. Turner towered above the visitors’ backline but failed to keep her header down after Toone whipped in an enticing ball from the left.
United threatened again on the stroke of half-time but were denied by the palms of Courtney Brosnan. Geyse burst down the right, evading her marker in the process. Faced one-on-one with the shot-stopper, she blasted the ball at the ‘keeper who stood her ground and maintained Everton’s lead.
Marc Skinner’s side came firing out the blocks after the interval as Brosnan was called into action once more. The 28-year-old came to her side’s rescue by tipping the ball over the crossbar after Lisa Naalsund unleashed a dipping strike that seemed destined to find the back of the net.
The Manchester outfit found an equaliser on 57 minutes as Turner headed in at the back-post. A deep corner from the left reached the far-post, where the centre-back was on hand to nod home.
Toone completed the turnaround on the hour mark by firing into the bottom-left corner from close-range. Geyse’s cross was half-cleared and landed at the feet of the 24-year-old, who failed to connect with the ball on the volley but rifled home with her second attempt.
Toone doubled her tally five minutes later. Naalsund intercepted a misplaced pass from Kühl and drove at goal before squaring to the England international who finished into an empty net.
Substitute Leah Galton added a fourth in the final stages. Rachel Williams drove at the Blues backline before playing in the 29-year-old. Galton took a touch, and slotted past the diving Brosnan to complete the scoring.
Up next for the Toffees is a trip to the Southcoast to face Brighton & Hove Albion on Friday 19 April (7pm BST).
By Ross Hughes
