Everton suffered a 3-2 loss at the hands of an at risk of relegation side Brighton and Hove Albion on Wednesday evening. Their dismay came within the 12th minute when Elisabeth Terland nodded home a free kick and put the Seagulls ahead, their lead doubled by Katie Robinson’s lob before the half-time whistle.
Katja Snoeijs pulled two back for the Toffees but they were bested by another Terland goal to solidify the loss.
Manager Brian Sorensen told EvertonTV: “We looked like we did not come out of the bus and were ready for the first half and unfortunately they got a quick goal and transitioned where we looked like we were sleeping a bit.
“So, a tough one to try and come back in. We did actually have the chances and they scored another from a [quick] transition so that's the story of today, unfortunately.
“But I also feel we were too late to wake up and be ready.”
Moments of magic shone through for Jess Park and Snoeijs who managed to unhinge the Brighton defensive line, however, Everton generally gave a lacklustre performance against a side amidst relegation.
He continued: “It’s hard but that's football and we’re a team that really wants to play and build and of course that makes it harder today but it's no excuse, we’re just not ready for the first half and we saw the result of that.”
The home side armed with new manager Mel Phillips and fuelled with sheer desperation in an attempt to fight for their survival in the top tier, and got the better of Sorensen’s sixth-placed side but he wasn’t making any excuses: “I don't know [if those factors made a difference]. I said to the girls that they will be ready because they were fighting for their lives so we had to expect that.
“But I think it's looking inside and we have to step up and show more character, more fight, more belief than we did in the first half.”
Everton's league campaign continues by facing Reading at the weekend, another team desperate to escape the relegation zone, “I think they will want to wash this [loss] off so I think we will be ready [for Reading],” added Sorensen.
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