It would be fair to say things came full circle for Manchester United Women defender Millie Turner in Sunday's victory over London City Lionesses.
In September, the popular centre-back was taken off on a stretcher, during the second 45 minutes of the reverse fixture with the Lionesses, after suffering a knee injury that would keep her out of action for much of the season's first half.
But true to her character, Turner battled her way through recovery, with a smile never too far away and her positive energy still felt by those nearby at Carrington.
She made her comeback by starting last month's Adobe FA Cup win over Burnley and, before the weekend, had got WSL minutes under her belt with a substitute cameo in the recent triumph at Aston Villa.
On Sunday, our no.21 continued her journey back to full fitness with a first league start since the injury, and scored the winning goal, just over 10 minutes from time, having assisted Jess Park's equaliser earlier in the 2-1 victory.
There is a case to say there could not have been a more popular goalscorer on the afternoon, with Millie mobbed by her team-mates as she slid on the turf in celebration after heading home Maya Le Tissier's wicked free-kick.
The defender - second on United Women's list for all-time appearances with 181 - picked up the WSL's official Player of the Match award after helping the Reds to see out the victory, and has since been confirmed as a deserving recipient of our corresponding prize, voted for by supporters.
Millie accumulated a majority 38 per cent of selections from fans in our post-match poll, to see off competition from fellow goalscorer Park, centre-back partner Le Tissier and midfielder Hinata Miyazawa.
Our no.21 was understandably “buzzing”
with how the afternoon played out, joking with MUTV's Ben Ibson in the Progress With Unity Stadium tunnel post-match: “I had to get my comeback, didn’t I?!
“Obviously, the last time we played these, I did my knee so coming back and getting the goal today and getting the win, it’s a big moment,” she continued.
“It feels very special, my family are here and it’s my grandad’s birthday, so it couldn’t have come at a better time!”
Turner also spoke about the character United's collective showed in coming from a goal down to win the game, after going behind to a fifth-minute opener from former Reds striker Nikita Parris.
“I didn’t think we deserved to go a goal down, we were on top,” the centre-back added. “So, to come back, like we always do, showed amazing team spirit and that’s what we’re all about.”
We're so proud of Millie, who will now be hoping to help the Reds secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on Thursday night.
United go into the second leg of our knockout play-off tie against Atletico Madrid with a 3-0 advantage, after an impressive first-leg win in Spain last week.