Ellis Simms, who was called off the bench by Sean Dyche with 11 minutes left and his team trailing 2-1 to Chelsea, described his late equalizer as “a dream come true” and a timely way to open his Everton goalscoring account, reports the LiverpoolEcho.
He displayed impressive composure to fend off Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly and slot the ball past Kepa Arrizabalaga to secure a share of the points. Simms had been loaned out by Everton in each of the past three seasons but was recalled from his latest stint away from the club at Sunderland in January and given his first Premier League start in last month’s Merseyside derby at Anfield.
The forward, who has been patient, admitted that his perseverance has finally paid off after scoring his first senior goal for the club. When asked by Sky Sports if scoring his first Premier League goal was the standout moment of his career so far, Ellis Simms responded in the affirmative, stating that it was a great occasion and a massive point against a tough opposition.
He expressed his delight for the team and could not put into words how he felt about achieving this dream come true. Simms credited his patience and hard work in training for the goal, acknowledging that he had to wait for his chance as Everton has top players, and he had to take his opportunity with both hands.
“It’s about patience. I had to wait for my chance. We’ve got top players so I’m not just going to walk straight into the team. I have to work hard in training and when I get my opportunity, I have to take it with both hands.”