There are surely few better feelings for a Liverpool player than scoring in a Merseyside derby.
And with it being his first goal at under-23 level, small wonder the smile on Max Woltman's face at Southport on Monday evening.
On only his second start for Barry Lewtas's side, Woltman notched the clinching strike by sweeping home Conor Bradley's low cross as the Reds edged out neighbours Everton 3-1 in a lively Premier League 2 encounter.
It continued his impressive goalscoring form - 11 in his last 13 competitive outings at all age levels - since switching to the number nine role with the U18s in February having previously been employed as a second striker or attacking midfielder.
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Woltman believes he has found his ideal position, although whether he'd prefer to be more like senior Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino or Tottenham Hotspur talisman Harry Kane isn't quite so clear cut.
"Bit of both!" he laughs. "It's the way to be.
"I like playing number nine as I feel it gives you a bit of freedom to run in behind and get the ball to feet. That's where you get all the chances too.
"It was hard waiting all game for the ball to drop for me and luckily Conor kept getting up and down the pitch and delivered one in, and I was able to put it away."
Woltman, who signed his first professional contract with Liverpool earlier this year and only turned 18 last Friday, was making just a third appearance for the U23s.
But there was plenty of experience in the Liverpool side, whether it be 24-year-old Sheyi Ojo, who notched the opener, or 16-year-old Kaide Gordon, scorer of the second and who joined Tyler Morton, Jake Cain, Conor Bradley, Billy Koumetio, Rhys Williams and Owen Beck in starting at Southport having trained and played with the first team during pre-season.
"It helps when you're playing alongside lads who have gone up and played for the first team," says Woltman. "They have got bags of confidence and experience, and want to push you on.
"Seeing them do that helps. Tyler Morton has been training with the first team and he tells you some little stories and how sharp they are, and then you can see the levels from him. It ramps his level and then it helps ramp ours."
U23s coach Barry Lewtas agrees. "It's two-fold," he says. "They have done well to get there to begin with, and then I've seen a difference when they have come back with us in their intensity.
"There is that carrot of wanting to get back with the first team. When pre-season ends, the lads realise there are no more games for them there."
Skippering the U23s so far this season is 20-year-old Tom Clayton, who demonstrated his versatility by stepping up into defensive midfield after an impressive outing at centre-back in the previous week's goalless draw with Manchester City.
"If you were to ask me 18 months ago would I be comfortable playing in four or five different positions I'd probably have said no," admits Clayton, who has been at the Academy for more than a decade and penned a new deal in April.
"But the manager has given me the confidence to go and express myself in a number of positions. I thought I did well at centre-back against City last week and against Everton in midfield, so I think I can play well in a number of positions - it's not just a case of filling in.
"That's where you can get your opportunities in the senior team. Ben Woodburn played right-back in pre-season and he played well, then he was playing at Anfield, one thing led to another and now he's got his loan move (to Hearts).
"What's my favourite? I'm not fussed really! Having two or three positions on your cv can only help you."
Indeed, Clayton's performances last season earned him a first call-up to Scotland U21s in June, and he netted in the first of two appearances against Northern Ireland.
And of his elevation to wearing the captain's armband, he adds: "I've always had that voice, but you definitely gain more confidence the better you play, because if you're having a stinker it can be a bit hard to talk to people.
"But it does come naturally to me, and we have a young group out there now so I've taken it upon myself to organise and lead and try to guide them in the right direction."
Liverpool's elite development coach Vitor Matos and first-team goalkeeping coach John Achterberg were among those watching at The Pure Stadium along with former U23s boss Neil Critchley, now in charge at Blackpool.
With coronavirus restrictions lifted, the game was played in front of a sizeable crowd. And Lewtas adds: "We had a real purpose, we wanted to try and play and get at them. Everton didn't make it easy as they blocked the midfield.
"We could have played quicker at times, but when you have all the ball it's easier to criticise because there's more chance of making a mistake.
"The first goal was important, it settled us down. But we should have scored more.
"We're looking forward to getting more towards normality. Protocols are still in place and we are still being careful. But there were nearly 2,000 in at Southport, we are able to do more with the players and I'm enjoying it."
