Everton pinch a point

Substitute Duncan Ferguson made a telling late contribution as Everton FC drew 1-1 at Middlesbrough FC, the substitute setting up Tim Cahill for a 76th-minute equaliser which cancelled out Boudewijn Zenden's first-half strike for the home side.

Inspired substitution
Ferguson, who had just completed a three-match ban, came on with 16 minutes remaining and proved the catalyst for a late surge by Everton. Within two minutes, his header back across goal following a Tony Hibbert cross found Cahill and the Australian midfield player struck the ball past Mark Schwarzer.

Everton toil
Until then Everton had looked on course for a rare defeat as they struggled to adapt to life without Thomas Gravesen, a €3.5m signing for Real Madrid CF on Friday. Middlesbrough made much of the early running and took the lead on 26 minutes when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's incisive pass found Zenden, who chipped Richard Wright from an awkward angle.

Fight for fourth
Lee Carsley and James Beattie hit the woodwork for Everton before Ferguson's late introduction rescued a point. After teeing up Cahill, the former Scotland striker almost condemned Middlesbrough to a third successive defeat with a late drive which deflected narrowly wide of a post. None the less, Everton will be happy with a point that leaves them seven ahead of Liverpool FC and eight clear of Boro in the race for a UEFA Champions League berth.

Strugglers denied
At the other end of the table, Fulham FC's Papa Bouba Diop headed an added-time winner to deny West Bromwich Albion FC a rare point at Craven Cottage. Fulham lost Steed Malbranque to injury midway through the first half and the visitors looked the most likely winners, going close through Robert Earnshaw and debutant Kevin Campbell, before Diop's late goal.