Julia Zigiotti punished an early Liverpool mistake as Manchester United edged the Reds 1-0 at the Progress With Unity Stadium - on an afternoon I had almost given up on covering.
I applied for media accreditation on Monday and, as the week went by without a response, I assumed I had missed out. Then, around midday on Friday, I was doing some chores at home with a reggae mix playing in the background when my phone chimed.
It was the email I had been waiting for. Accreditation confirmed.
The music had already lifted my mood. The email made it even better.
Twenty-four hours later, I was at the Progress With Unity Stadium in Leigh for arguably one of the standout fixtures of the WSL weekend: Manchester United against Liverpool.
There was another little connection to Manchester.
Exactly one week earlier, I had been at Old Trafford serving as an usher during the NSPPD conference. Seven days later, I was back in Greater Manchester, this time with my notebook and media accreditation.
Football has funny ways of bringing you back to places.
The journey was surprisingly straightforward. I had checked the route so many times the night before that, by Saturday morning, I could almost have dreamt my way there.
Once at the stadium, accreditation took less than a minute.
On my way out of the accreditation hub, I noticed supporters gathering nearby, apparently waiting for the players to arrive - perhaps hoping for a greeting, photograph or autograph.
A few directions from stewards later and I found the media tribune. The view was excellent. Directly above the dugouts and almost perfectly on the halfway line. Naturally, I chose an aisle seat. Easy movement. Always.
I had arrived two hours before kick-off. On a first visit, I would rather be far too early than spend the afternoon wondering where I'm supposed to be.
Around me, journalists and commentators were setting up their equipment. The commentary positions particularly caught my attention.
I've done plenty of commentary myself and still hope that one day, walking into stadiums in England won't only mean arriving as accredited written press, but also arriving to call the game.
Until then, I'm enjoying this phase.
At 12:55pm, just after the stadium announcer had read out the starting line-ups, the sound system gave me another little moment to enjoy. Fleetwood Mac's Everywhere started playing.
One of my favorites.
I loved it.
The music stopped and, not long afterwards, the football took over. And as the players emerged from the dugouts, the noise came from both directions.
United supporters to my left. Travelling Liverpool supporters to the far right, singing You'll Never Walk Alone.
There was another small coincidence as the teams lined up: both captains - United's Maya Le Tissier and Liverpool's Grace Fisk - wearing No.4.
Then came the moment that ultimately decided the afternoon.
One mistake, one punishment
Liverpool goalkeeper Khiara Keating misplaced a pass early in the game and Julia Zigiotti needed no second invitation. She collected the loose ball and produced a composed lob to put United ahead in the sixth minute.
For all that followed, that was ultimately it.
Liverpool did respond. Phallon Tullis-Joyce had to produce an excellent double save as the visitors threatened inside the United penalty area.
Alejandra Bernabé also brought some excitement down Liverpool's left. In the 24th minute, she worked her way into the box and sent an effort wide, believing she had won a corner. The referee thought otherwise.
Goal-kick.
Liverpool were holding their own, but something was missing.
Vivien Endemann had been the player who caught my eye at Anfield against Everton a week earlier because of her willingness to take defenders on. She was missing at Leigh with a minor calf problem, with Alice Bergström replacing her in Liverpool's only starting change from the Merseyside derby win.
From my seat, Liverpool seemed to miss some of that directness. They were competitive. They had possession in good areas. But the clear-cut opportunities were difficult to find.
United, meanwhile, remained dangerous.
There was a loud penalty appeal in the 32nd minute after the home support thought a Liverpool player had handled the ball inside the box. Referee Phoebe Cross waved it away.
The Liverpool corner immediately responded with perhaps my favourite chant of the afternoon:
“We love you referee, we do...”
Football supporters never miss an opportunity.
Five minutes later, Jessica Park nearly doubled United's advantage when she took advantage of the referee allowing play to continue after a physical battle near the touchline.
Her strike crashed against the crossbar.
Natalia Ramos was eventually booked after spending much of the half locked in her own physical contest with Le Tissier.
Half-time: United 1-0 Liverpool.
United began the second half strongly.
Hinata Miyazawa was at the centre of much of it, controlling play and helping drive United forward from midfield. Liverpool needed something different.
Marie-Therese Höbinger provided some of it after coming on. She looked lively and tested Tullis-Joyce with an effort from outside the penalty area as Liverpool searched for a way back.
There was also a special moment in the 77th minute when Mao Itamura came on for her Liverpool debut after recovering from minor abdominal surgery.
Still, United wouldn't break.
And Keating deserves credit too. Her mistake had given United their goal, but she didn't allow it to define the rest of her afternoon. In the 80th minute, Elisabeth Terland struck powerfully and Keating produced an excellent save to keep Liverpool alive.
It was Terland's final contribution before Lea Schüller replaced her.
As the clock moved towards 90 minutes, United were being forced to defend, while the visitors continued probing for the equaliser.
Mia Enderby was introduced for Bergström, who had put in a commendable shift. But that one clear opportunity still wouldn't arrive.
Three additional minutes were announced. United survived them. The whistle went.
Manchester United 1-0 Liverpool.
The result gave United a fourth consecutive victory.
There were 3,416 supporters inside the Progress With Unity Stadium, and the afternoon had offered plenty without ever becoming a classic.
A week earlier, Manchester had brought me here as a volunteer. This time, football brought me back as a journalist.
And hopefully, there are plenty more journeys like this still to come.
