Everton’s relegation worries became a small step more distant after they came from behind to claim a third draw in four games courtesy of Jake O’Brien’s second-half goal, his first for the club. But if they continued their recent positive run of form under David Moyes their recently red-hot striker Beto could not, the Portuguese running through on goal three times without once finding a way past Mark Flekken.
In early December Brentford had the best home record in the Premier League, but after this result at least three months will have elapsed between their last win here and their next. But still they came into this game having won three of their last four and made the brighter start.
Keane Lewis-Potter spearing a 35-yard shot just wide in the first minute to set the tone. Had Yoane Wissa been on the same wavelength as his teammates they might have taken advantage of this spell, but Lewis-Potter, Bryan Mbeumo and, after a superb run to the byline in the 10th minute, Kevin Schade all crossed low to the near post while their centre-forward loitered near the penalty spot. When finally he was picked out, by Schade’s dipping left-footed cross from the right, he was unhelpfully located beyond the far post and sent a meek header at Jordan Pickford.
It was a measure of the visitors’ discomfort that after that Schade run they swapped their full-backs, and within 10 minutes swapped them back again. Almost half an hour had passed before they had their first shot of note, and even then Beto’s attempt to hook a volley over his left shoulder from O’Brien’s cross was extremely optimistic and not at all accurate.
But the final quarter-hour of the opening half was much more even, and before it ended Everton had created its two best chances. First Ethan Pinnock’s slip allowed Beto to run clear, but in attempting to take the ball around Mark Flekken he instead chipped it into the keeper’s arms, and then Carlos Alcaraz’s headed through-ball sent the Portuguese through again only for Flekken this time to deflect his shot wide.
Moments before the interval Brentford made them pay, and in a style that would have infuriated anyone who shares Moyes’ enthusiasm for effort and organisation. Schade’s long throw from the right was allowed to bounce in the area, Mbeumo was unimpeded as he headed it against the bar, and even then there were three defenders better placed to reach the rebound than Wissa, who sprinted past them all to crash it into the net from barely a yard.
Fuelled by regret and 15 minutes with a snarling Scotsman, Everton started the second half with renewed commitment to attack, almost scoring inside the first minute when Harrison’s corner, curled towards the near post, somehow failed to cross the line before Schade cleared. Beto in this period was much better supported, though attempts to find blue shirts in the box tended to drop instead into the arms of Flekken. While Alcaraz shot just wide from the edge of the area it was Brentford who came closest to actually scoring, but this time Wissa was well offside when he turned in the loose ball, after Lewis-Potter was played in.
Sign up to Football Daily. Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football. after newsletter promotion. Everton finally equalised in the 77th minute as their full-backs combined, O’Brien meeting Vitalli Mykalenko’s superb cross with a matching header. With two minutes to play Beto missed the third of his hat-trick of chances, again frustrated by Flekken after Pinnock failed to cut out a through-ball.
