Stoke 1 Everton 1
Just when it looked as though a goal from Oussama Assaidi - sent out on loan to Stoke from Anfield this season - would condemn Roberto Martinez's side to only their third Barclays Premier League defeat of the season, former Liverpool man Jermaine Pennant's ill-judged challenge on substitute Leon Osman allowed Leighton Baines to convert an injury-time penalty.
Osman knows how Pennant will be feeling. It was his back-pass that gifted Sunderland a decisive spot-kick in Everton's surprise defeat at Goodison Park on Boxing Day which also led to the sending off of goalkeeper Tim Howard and Osman's immediate substitution.
VIDEO: Scroll down to hear Mark Hughes and Roberto Martinez's thoughts on the game
From the spot: Everton left back slots home a late penalty to draw the Toffees level against Stoke
Rescue: Baines and Seamus Coleman (left) acknowledge the travelling Everton faithful after equalising
Match facts
STOKE:
Sorensen 6 (Butland 46, 6); Cameron 7, Shawcross 7, Wilson 6, Pieters
7; Walters 6 (Pennant 72, 5), Nzonzi 6, Adam 7 (Palacios 82), Whelan 6,
Assaidi 7; Crouch 6.
Subs not used: Muniesa, Palacios, Jones, Arnautovic, Ireland.
Goal: Assaidi, 49.
Booked: Cameron, Whelan, Shawcross, Pennant.
EVERTON: Howard 6; Coleman 7, Stones 5, Alcaraz 6, Baines 6; Pienaar 6 (Jelavic 72, 6), McCarthy 6 (Osman 72, 7), Barry 6, Barkley 7, Mirallas 8; Lukaku 6 (Naismith 81).
Scorer: Baines (pen), 90.
Subs not used: Robles, Hibbert, Oviedo, Vellios.
Booked: Mirallas.
Referee: Andre Marriner.
Attendance: 25,832
Player ratings by Chris Wheeler at the Britannia Stadium
Subs not used: Muniesa, Palacios, Jones, Arnautovic, Ireland.
Goal: Assaidi, 49.
Booked: Cameron, Whelan, Shawcross, Pennant.
EVERTON: Howard 6; Coleman 7, Stones 5, Alcaraz 6, Baines 6; Pienaar 6 (Jelavic 72, 6), McCarthy 6 (Osman 72, 7), Barry 6, Barkley 7, Mirallas 8; Lukaku 6 (Naismith 81).
Scorer: Baines (pen), 90.
Subs not used: Robles, Hibbert, Oviedo, Vellios.
Booked: Mirallas.
Referee: Andre Marriner.
Attendance: 25,832
Player ratings by Chris Wheeler at the Britannia Stadium
There was little doubt about the decision by referee Andre Marriner or the outcome once Baines stepped up to face Stoke's third-choice goalkeeper Jack Butland, called on to make his Premier League debut as a half-time replacement for Thomas Sorensen 17 months after earning his only cap for England.
'We weren't at our best by any stretch of the imagination but what we showed was an incredible reaction,' said Martinez, who nevertheless saw his side nudged out of the top-four by Liverpool's win over Hull.
'I'm delighted for Leon and I'm pleased he showed those magic feet in the box at the right time. We need to remember that football is a game of risks and you're going to make mistakes, it's how you react towards that. The way he's coped with what happened in the Christmas period is magnificent.
'The penalty was our a good reward but even that left us with a feeling that we've dropped two points.'
Everton could have been in control of this game before half-time after Kevin Mirallas twice shook the Stoke woodwork, first after stepping inside Geoff Cameron to beat Sorensen with a right-foot shot that rattled the bar and then with a free-kick from the edge of the box that came back off the post.
Lead: Seamus Coleman is powerless from preventing wideman Oussama Assaidi from putting Stoke ahead
All smiles: Assaidi, on loan from Liverpool, celebrates putting Stoke into the lead against Everton
Team effort: Assaidi is congratulated by Jonathan Walters (right) and the rest of his Stoke team-mates
Oussama Assaidi fired Stoke into the lead - click here to see our brilliant Match Zone service
NEW YEAR'S WISHES
Stoke: The
Potters need to take some of their home form with them away from the
Britannia if they are to avoid being dragged into trouble.
Everton: Need to replicate their performance in the first half of the season. It would be a shame if they ended up with nothing to show for it now.
Everton: Need to replicate their performance in the first half of the season. It would be a shame if they ended up with nothing to show for it now.
Baines failed to close down Glenn Whelan as he swung over a cross from the right, teenager John Stones headed straight to the feet of Assaidi, and the Moroccan took one touch before lashing the ball low inside Howard's right-hand post. It was his fourth goal for Stoke, including a spectacular winner against Chelsea here last month.
This one was not enough to earn all three points, however. Unbeaten at the Britannia in the league for three months, Stoke were typically dogged in the defence of their lead and you almost lost count of the times Erik Pieters, in particular, blocked Everton's efforts on goal.
Effort: Stoke midfielder Steven N'Zonzi firs an effort towards goal as Leighton Baines attempts to block it
Battle: Stoke midfielder Charlie Adam gets the better of young Everton defender John Stones
Stretching: Leighton Baines dispossesses Stoke's American defender Geoff Cameron
SPORTSMAIL'S SUPER STAT
Everton's defenders have scored 10 goals this season, six more than Stoke's strikers.
'Jermaine's an attack-minded player, it's not one of his strengths trying to stop opposing attackers,' said Stoke boss Mark Hughes. 'He's there to try and make a nuisance of himself but he made a mistake which is unfortunate for him.
'In those situations you want full backs and defensive-minded players to be in those positions. He miscalculated and it was a stonewall penalty unfortunately.'
So close: Everton frontman Kevin Mirallas struck the post after beinf his free-kick over the Stoke wall
Bombing forward: Ross Barkley holds off the challenge from Stoke's Dutch defender Erik Pieters
Flaring up: Smoke from a flare envelopes the pitch shortly after Everton's late equaliser
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