There was a lot to like as Everton ended a dismal away record with a solid win at Ipswich Town. The goals were exceptional, the Blues created opportunities to score more and the away end - as ever - was superb.

But the most pleasing aspect was the rediscovery of the resilience that was so important last year and had been missing so far this season.

It did not look set to be that way. While Everton were the better side throughout this fixture they again struggled to exert any sort of control for large parts of this game. At half-time the two-goal lead was deserved but was the result of Everton coming out on top as the sides traded blows in a frenetic game.

Kieran McKenna agreed when I spoke to him after the game. There was a belief - more through the comebacks Ipswich have enjoyed under him than through knowledge of Everton's recent collapses - that one goal could quickly change the complexion of the game.

He told the ECHO: "If you get the next goal, you've got a good chance, especially at home, especially with the history that we have in those situations. And we had some opportunities maybe in the last 15 minutes. If one goes in we know we're set for a big finish."

Ipswich did build more pressure in the final stages. But they created few clear chances and much of the possession they did enjoy was because Everton were happy to concede it and able to dictate where on the pitch it unfolded.

In the final 30 minutes the confidence that was the foundation of so many clean sheets last year appeared to surge back into the defensive unit. Idrissa Gueye was excellent, Vitalii Mykolenko stifled the talented Omari Hutchinson, Ashley Young was resolute and James Tarkowski and Michael Keane mopped up everything that entered the box. Jordan Pickford was rarely tested as a result.

Dyche said after the game: "There has been a lot of noise about two goal leads, I thought we delivered a very strong performance defensively to make sure we looked after that lead."

He was right. Everton finished the game with an authority and maturity that had been lost in those capitulations at Goodison and Villa Park. Even against Leicester City in the league and Southampton in the Carabao Cup, Everton were unable to hold on after scoring first.

When I asked Dyche whether the progress on show on Saturday was the result of any specific work at Finch Farm, he said: "Not so much work on the training pitch but reminders of games when we have seen the games through. We have seen those games through with our professionalism, with our effort, with our work ethic and also with the shape of the team. And I thought that was all on show today to make sure we saw the game through."

There was a sense at Portman Road that this was a perfect Dyche display. His speciality has been to win the games that have mattered the most and this was one that fell into that category. The similarities with Everton's last away win back in December were remarkable - that was also a 2-0 victory against a newly-promoted side that was playing under pressure as they tried to reel Everton into their orbit. Keane scored in that win at Burnley as well.

Dyche displayed an awareness of how the experience in his dugout and dressing room was so important on days like Saturday, adding: "I spoke to the players after and I said: 'Look, with all due respect, this club has done an amazing thing getting to where it has got to, but they have not got our level of experience.' I thought we showed that.

"The way we managed the game in different ways - defensively with the ball while still looking effective, still creating chances, and finding that nice balance. That work has got to continue. I thought we showed a bit of authority with our all-round performance."

The trick now will be repeating the resilience on display and making sure it is not a one off. While a similar approach at struggling Southampton in a fortnight could well reap the same reward, if Everton are to show signs of real progress this season then they will need to be competitive against the likes of Fulham and West Ham United, who also lie in wait.