A narrow Everton under-23 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur might not have normally have caught the attention of Marcel Brands.
But last month the director of football took notice. Why?
Because a centre-back, who turned 17 less than six months earlier, had made his full Premier League 2 debut and stood out.
Brands was impressed.
Since then, Reece Welch has worked with the first-team under Carlo Ancelotti at Finch Farm, been on the bench twice in the Premier League and impressed in FA Youth Cup ties with Wigan Athletic, Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion.
It has been quite a seven weeks for Welch. But it is not the first time he has caught the eye.
The ECHO has been told Manchester City were initially keen to sign the Huddersfield-born starlet as a child but Everton acted first to bring him into their academy system at the age of seven.
His family would regularly make the trip to Merseyside to continue his development before an enquiry from Liverpool over his services at 11 - when Welch was a centre-forward - alerted Everton to the potential he possessed.
The club would eventually relocate Welch to Wade Deacon High School in Widnes and his family followed.
And then his meteoric rise ignited.
Welch has since represented England at under-16 and under-17 level and is on the radar of under-18 manager Kevin Betsy, being named as a reserve in a recent squad despite only turning 17 in September.
But it is at Everton where his progress is truly being noticed.
A key part of the under-18s under Paul Tait for the last two seasons, Welch initially caught the eye of Brands before lockdown last year, and by the time he made his u-23 debut at Tottenham the Dutchman was keenly following his progress.
The defender had impressed with his towering six foot four frame but his athleticism is similarly equipped to the modern game. Fast, strong and broad shouldered, he will look even more imposing when he naturally begins to fill out.
Everton ensured Welch signed his first professional contract at the earliest opportunity - on his 17th birthday - and handed him a three-year deal. He has taken less than 12 months to prove Brands right for his judgement.
After appearing for the u-23s, Welch scored the equaliser in the FA Youth Cup third round win over Wigan Athletic before shackling Liam Delap - widely believed to be the best u-18 striker in the country - as Manchester City were overcome in the next stage.
But by the time the u-18s come to face Chelsea in London with a place in the quarter-final at stake they were without Welch.
Alongside team-mate Isaac Price, Welch had been called-up to first-team training under Carlo Ancelotti with Brands delivering the news via telephone before the trip to Brighton and Hove Albion.
The duo both made the bench for the game on the South Coast and kept their places when Tottenham Hotspur visited Goodison Park four days later.
And then it was back to the u-18s. Welch starred in a 4-1 victory over Stoke City just 24 hours after being on the bench for the u-23s at West Ham United. U-18, u-23 and first-team duties all in the space of a week.
Yet with Everton continuing to drive down the age of their u-23 squad, and Con Ouzounidis and Joe Anderson both out of contract at the end of the season, Welch is likely to be a regular under David Unsworth next term.
But before then he could be given more chances to impress Ancelotti in training before the current campaign is out.
And then the decision will be back with Brands.
Everton have traditionally sent young defenders out on loan - Matthew Pennington, Callum Connolly, Lewis Gibson, Jarrad Branthwaite and Mason Holgate are recent examples still contracted to the club - and Welch could follow suit to learn his trade.
But he is a 17-year-old with Brands in his corner and audition time in front of Ancelotti under his belt.
Welch could eventually symbolise the changes Brands is implementing to ensure the pathway to success is clear at Everton.
