Barry's strike is a poignant moment for striker & club

W I L D celebrations have been a theme of recent weeks for Everton, but none were as ecstatic as this - when Thierno Barry finally scored his first goal in Royal Blue, it was a scene of pure elation.

- By JOE THOMAS

The emotion was clear on and off the pitch. The 23-year-old, a ball of angst and frustration as his search for a breakthrough carried on longer than anyone hoped or expected, wheeled away towards the corner flag as the ball rolled over the line.

Off balance, having slotted past the onrushing Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels, first he had his arms wide open in joy. Then there was the knee slide.

Then came the embraces of his teammates, followed by a long walk back to the halfway line and signs of gratitude, appreciation and happiness.

On the sideline, David Moyes performed a celebratory jig. In the stands, the goal was greeted by a roar only bettered by the chaos of Jack Grealish’s stoppage-time winner against Crystal Palace and Iliman Ndiaye’s opening goal of Everton’s new dawn on the Liverpool waterfront.