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David Coverdale at SunSport |
Fulham (1) 2 Everton (0) 2
Marouane Fellaini's second goal may have come from the type of punt Steven Gerrard said was the Toffees' trademark in his post-Merseyside derby jibe.
But David Moyes' visitors dominated at Craven Cottage like no other team has done this term.
And it was not via route one.
Fellaini's second-half brace looked like winning it for Everton, who could have had a hatful if Nikica Jelavic had been on form.
But after Tim Howard's early own goal, Steve Sidwell nipped in with a last-minute leveller to steal a point for the hosts.
A fourth draw on the spin left Moyes quite rightly scratching his head.
The Everton boss said: "I can't believe we've only got a draw.
"We were incredibly wasteful in front of goal.
I think Jelavic is a little bit off colour as far as his goals go at the moment.
"I'm really frustrated because if I want to hang on to the boys at the top, I need to try to win the games when they come along.
"Today you would have to go away and say that Everton look as smart as any other side.
"We just didn't finish the job off and we should have done."
Fulham made a cracking start when Dimitar Berbatov's trickery drew a Phil Neville foul and Bryan Ruiz curled his 25-yard free-kick in off Howard.
The Costa Rican will feel aggrieved to have such a fine strike chalked off his tally.
But Howard deserved an own goal by his name for a feeble attempted save that saw him palm the ball on to a post before it cannoned in off his shoulder.
Toffees could have got back on terms when Fellaini struck a tame shot straight at Mark Schwarzer.
Then Leighton Baines swung one into Jelavic only for the Croatian to bury his free header into the deck and over.
Seamus Coleman tested keeper Schwarzer and then Phil Jagielka hit a fierce deflected strike just wide of a post.
Jelavic again could have levelled before the break but this time his attempted dink over the Fulham stopper was far too high.
But Everton continued to press in the second half and were well worth their equaliser when it eventually came.
Coleman slipped in Kevin Mirallas and he pulled it back to fellow Belgian Fellaini, who powered home a shot from eight yards out.
Berbatov immediately forced Howard into a fine save with a stinging drive on the turn.
But it was all Everton and they deservedly took the lead when Jagielka punted a long ball forward for Fellaini, who chested it down, muscled off Hughes and fired in his fifth of the campaign.
Fellaini nearly had a hat-trick when his deflected strike hit a post before sub Steven Naismith's follow-up was cleared off the line.
And Fellaini then forced Schwarzer into another save with a powerful volley.
But, from nowhere, sub Sidwell nipped in past Coleman to tuck home Sascha Riether's cross after Berbatov had missed the ball.
The last-gasp equaliser means Martin Jol's side have still lost only two home games in 2012.
Jol said: "I can't remember the last time we gave away a lead and lost, so I was very happy to keep that statistic going."
Fulham: Schwarzer, Riether, Hughes, Hangeland, Riise (Dejagah 59), Duff, Diarra (Petric 76), Baird, Kacaniklic (Sidwell 68),Ruiz, Berbatov.
Subs not used: Stockdale, Senderos, Karagounis, Rodallega.
Booked: Riise, Diarra, Baird.
Goals: Howard 7 og, Sidwell 90.
Everton: Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Heitinga, Baines, Mirallas (Naismith 79), Osman, Neville, Pienaar, Fellaini, Jelavic (Distin 89).
Subs not used: Mucha, Oviedo, Hitzlsperger, Gueye, Duffy.
Booked: Osman.
Goals: Fellaini 55, 72.
Att: 25,699
Ref: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).
Source .