After producing the most unlikely display of goalkeeping heroics in The SSE Women’s FA Cup fourth round win over Durham, Everton defender Danielle Turner has been crowned player of the round.
When regular Everton goalkeeper Kirstie Levell picked up a knock towards the end of the first half, 25-year-old Turner donned the gloves and took her place between the posts, keeping a clean sheet for the second half and 30 minutes of extra time.
With a shootout required to decide who would reach round five, Durham missed two penalties ensuring Everton advance to meet arch-rivals Liverpool on Sunday 19 March.
And Warrington-born Turner said she would happily volunteer again if her team needed her as a number one.
“It was crazy,” Turner said. “We’d discussed it in the warm up, what we would do if Kirstie got injured.
“Apparently, it was me who my manager Andy Spence and coach Martin Ho had decided, but I volunteered myself anyway. At half-time, she was struggling, so we made the decision then, but I was happy to go in.
“In training, I’m always the first one to get stuck in, and I’m fairly agile. I’m not afraid in the tackle, and I’m not afraid to throw myself around in goal either.
“We were not blessed with a lot of height on the day, I was one of the tallest, and so it probably didn’t leave many options.
“I loved it – I had 75 minutes in net, and kept a clean sheet. If it was to ever happen again, I’d certainly volunteer!”
A Rebecca Salicki strike and a spectacular Beth Hepple effort had Durham in the driving seat.
But the Toffees, with Turner barking instructions from inside her penalty area, hauled themselves back into the game through Michelle Hinnigan and Megan Finnigan, before their penalty triumph.
Turner was quick to point out the sterling defensive work of her Everton team-mates, which restricted the amount she was called into action.
“We dominated the second half – a lot of the play was down at the other end, but I still had to make a few saves,” Turner added.
“One save at the end of extra time was the key – it was fairly-routine for a regular keeper but I think a couple of the girls were worried it might slip through my legs, but I managed to hold on.
“The girls defended really well though. Our back four cleared a lot of crosses.
“I think Durham may have even played for penalties in the end, considering I was not a natural keeper.
“I still can’t believe that we won a penalty shoot-out with me in net – it was a mad game from start to finish.
“At the end, Michelle [Hinnigan], who missed her penalty, said ‘Dan, you’ve saved me there’. All the girls were made up.”
Tickets are now on sale for the SSE Women’s FA Cup Final on Saturday 13 May at Wembley Stadium connected by EE. For the second consecutive year, kids go free to the final. Click here to purchase tickets
