Beto snatches injury-time draw for Everton against Fulham

Everton substitute Beto headed a stoppage-time equaliser to earn a 1-1 home draw with Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday after the Londoners had been seemingly cruising to a deserved victory courtesy of a goal by Goodison Park old boy Alex Iwobi.

Striker Beto scored in the fourth minute of added time to stretch Everton's unbeaten run to five games, but Fulham will be furious after dominating and barely looking like conceding.

"We were a long way short of where we could be but we ended up getting the point and I'm really pleased with it," Everton manager Sean Dyche said.

"On a day when we weren't close to where we wanted to be the mentality was good and we stayed strong. We've had to grind, find a way, and sometimes that's what you have to do in the Premier League."

Everton have a poor recent record against Fulham, losing five and winning one of their previous eight meetings, and despite a recent upturn of form that had brought two wins and two draws, they were tentative from the start.

Some ragged defending gifted Fulham two good chances back to back in the 27th minute. Jordan Pickford saved the first -- a tight angled-shot by Adama Traoré -- while Emile Smith Rowe hooked the second over the bar under no pressure.

Everton had barely mustered an attack in the first half hour but briefly came to life when Idrissa Gueye crashed a 25-yard dipping shot against the bar. Dominic Calvert-Lewin knocked in the rebound but was offside and it was chalked off.

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Dwight McNeil then sent a header straight at Fulham keeper Bernd Leno while Iwobi blazed over after a testing cross by Traore, one of several the visitors failed to take advantage of.

Fulham took a deserved lead after 61 minutes though when Smith Rowe carried the ball purposely past three defenders and fed Iwobi, who stepped inside to make space before neatly slotting past Pickford.

If the Everton fans expected a response, they were sorely disappointed as Fulham continued to look the more dangerous side.

The introduction of Beto for Calvert-Lewin was greeted with groans by the Everton fans who have hardly taken the goal-shy striker to their hearts, but he was the toast of the town at the final whistle.

Ashley Young deserves plaudits for his calm and skillful side-foot volleyed cross back into the danger area, after Iliman Ndiaye's initial cross had sailed beyond the back post, and Beto did the rest.

"For me this goal means too much," Beto said. "To be able to help the team, for me it's emotional. Even if I don't play I still work hard. I put my head up every week and try to get better.

"The supporters always sing my name and as a player you just want to pay it back. I always put it in my mind to be ready as the day may come. And today it came. I'm happy to help the team, to help the Toffees."

Dyche was full of praise for his super-sub, who was born and raised in Portugal but plays for Guinea-Bissau.

"We knew he was raw and still has a lot to learn," he said. "It is a brave header, he throws himself in amongst it. It's good that you have players who want to come off the bench and affect the game.

"I've been pleased with the reaction to those first four games [that Everton lost in the league] and I'm so pleased with that relentlessness. The mentality was really clear today that we were pushing to try to get something."

Frustrated Fulham manager Marco Silva described the result as really unfair. "It's so tough for us and players in the dressing room. We controlled the game," he said.

"We created clear chances and should have scored one or two more goals. It's tough when you're so much better than the opposition.

"The players are down right now, but they should be proud with the way we played. The points will come for us."

Fulham remain 10th on 12 points while Everton, who lost their first four games of the season, edge up to 15th on nine.