Scott Phelan experienced his first defeat as Everton Women boss as a slow start from the visitors largely contributed to their exit from the Adobe Women’s FA Cup at the hands of Liverpool.
First-half goals from Mia Enderby and substitute Beata Olsson gave the hosts a commanding lead and was one that they held on to despite a late fightback which saw Aurora Galli halve the deficit late on.
With an unchanged XI name for the fourth consecutive fixture, Phelan would have had high hopes that his team would be quick out of the blocks against the side they had put four past on the opening day of the season.
A cagey start was what followed, with Liverpool looking more likely to find the opener, with Enderby giving the Blues a warning with an effort from the edge of the box that flashed wide.
Momiki responded with a curling effort of her own at the other end but it would be the England U-23 star that would get the game’s first goal on 35 minutes following good work from Ceri Holland, whose cross enabled the forward to bundle the ball home at the back-post after colliding with Courtney Brosnan and the woodwork.
That would be Enderby’s last contribution of the day as the 20-year-old was unable to continue and was replaced by Olsson.
And the sub would doubled Gareth Taylor’s side’s lead on the stroke of half-time, as another Holland cross was met by Olsson, although replays suggest it may of struck her arm before finding its way into the goal.
Phelan rang the changes as he looked to change his team’s fortunes, with Zara Kramzar and Melissa Lawley replacing Momiki and van Gool at the break, but it was Brosnan who was the busier of the two keepers after the restart, brilliantly denying Jenna Clark on 54 minutes.
An unusually quiet Inma Gabarro squandered a good chance to pull one back 11 minutes later when she dragged her effort wide after cutting in from the left. The Spanish forward then made way for Galli.
And the Italian made her mark six minutes after entering the field of play when she was found by fellow sub Kramzar to strike a low effort that found its way in the bottom right corner to provide a lifeline for her side.
The sight of Kelly Gago being introduced will have pleasing to the travelling fans after it looked as though the forward had played her last game for the Toffees following rumours of a desire to return to her native France.
But even that addition of firepower couldn’t prevent Phelan’s first defeat as boss and Everton exiting the cup at the hands of their neighbours.
A break now follows for the Blues, who return to action away at Tottenham Hotspur in the WSL on Sunday, 15 March at 11.55am GMT (6.55am ET, 3.55am PT ).
