Everton 1 - 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Bilyaletdinov's late leveller

Updated: October 17, 2009, 8:15 AM UK

Everton staged a dramatic late rally as Russian winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's first goal for the club rescued a point against Wolves at Goodison Park.

• McCarthy blasts sending off

Wolves looked to be heading for a much-needed victory when striker Kevin Doyle put them ahead with his third goal of the season, after 75 minutes.

Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey had earlier produced a string of fine saves to keep Wolves in the match, but with two minutes of normal time left the £10 million Everton new boy struck with an equaliser.

Wolves ended the match with 10 men when substitute Stefan Maierhofer was sent off in injury time. Everton successfully defended their right to field Marouane Fellaini following a row with the Belgian federation but opted to put him on the substitutes' bench.

The only change from the side that drew with Stoke last time out for the Toffees was the return to the heart of defence of Joseph Yobo as captain.

Wolves had striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake making his first league start since the opening game of the season, when he suffered a hamstring injury against West Ham.

Ebanks-Blake added strength and running power up front and Wolves could easily have been ahead before half-time.

Greg Halford's long throw was a key part of their armoury and when he launched one into the box early on Christophe Berra's shot had to be charged down by Yobo.

Everton struggled to get going, although they went close when Louis Saha latched on to a long ball from Sylvain Distin and set up Tim Cahill for a rising shot on the run which flashed over the crossbar.

Wolves continued to cause Everton problems when they got the ball into the danger zone and Doyle produced a fine turn and shot from 15 yards to forced Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard into a fine save to his right.

Michael Kightly was booked for bringing down Leighton Baines but although Everton increased their tempo they did not do much to trouble Hennessey.

Twice just before the break Wolves could have scored, first when Halford touched a pass to David Edwards and the move ended with a shot from Ebanks-Blake that cannoned wide with Howard flat-footed.

Wolves went even closer a minute later when Doyle dummied Ronald Zubar's cross from the right and Ebanks-Blake rolled a shot inches wide.

Everton needed more punch up front and manager David Moyes sent on Ayegbeni Yakubu to partner Saha, taking off Tony Hibbert at the break and pushing John Heitinga to right-back.

They also needed the ball delivered more quickly and Baines responded within 60 seconds of the restart with an angled cross that Saha met with a downward header, saved well by Hennessey at the near post.

Hennessey then made a fine point-blank save when Bilyaletdinov found himself clear on the right of the box following a Baines crossfield ball, the Wales goalkeeper bravely getting his body in the way.

Wolves then took off Kightly, sending on Matthew Jarvis. But it was Hennessey who was again outstanding soon after, turning away a Saha drive at full stretch.

Ebanks-Blake forced Howard into a plunging save before Yakubu broke down the left and fired a shot across goal at the other end.

A minute later former Everton forward Segundo Castillo came on in place of Halford before Edwards was booked for pulling down Baines as the contest heated up.

Everton sent on Brazilian striker Jo for Saha, but it was Wolves who grabbed the lead after 75 minutes from the increasingly impressive Doyle.

He latched on to a long clearance from Hennessey straight down the middle, and ran on to guide his shot wide of Howard.

Austria international Maierhofer was booked after a tangle with Cahill and Everton grabbed an equaliser after 88 minutes when Jo crossed from the left and Bilyaletdinov arrived on the far post to drive home.

Maierhofer was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Howard in injury time and was sent off, with the American goalkeeper booked for retaliating.

McCarthy blasts sending off

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy was critical of the decision that saw substitute Stefan Maierhofer sent off in injury time as Everton grabbed a fortunate 1-1 draw at Goodison Park. McCarthy claimed the incident "took the gloss off a very good away performance by us.''

McCarthy believed that Howard could easily have been red-carded too but declined to be drawn into a discussion about Attwell or whether the young official - who has been involved in several controversial incidents over the last two seasons - was intimidated by the crowd.

McCarthy did say: "The red card was harsh, bordering on downright disgraceful to be honest. I felt the first tackle he put in (on Cahill) was a booking for the manner he went into the tackle. But this is an intimidating place. (Everton manager) David Moyes is almost playing wide left for them, getting the ball back on as quickly as he can, but I've no problem with that.

"It all creates atmosphere and the crowd are loving it. But for the first incident, Stefan was just booked for his reaction. But for the second yellow card he did what I would expect any centre-forward in the world to do and that is to run across the keeper's path to stop him clearing quickly, that is all he has done.''

He added: "But their 'keeper Tim Howard is very fortunate not to be walking off the pitch too. My understanding is that when you raise your hands above neck high and use your hands to push someone either in the face or close to it, then that is a sending-off.

"I feel that pushing someone in the back of the head - the back of the head is just above the neck as far as I am concerned - is close to getting a red. I felt it was unnecessary, he could just have let it go and everyone gets on with things. But it happens, it has taken the gloss off a very good away performance.''

Everton boss Moyes was just relieved to have got a point when for long spells that looked unlikely. He said: "We are not playing the way we would like, but we got a point regardless when maybe we didn't think we were going to get one. The goal we conceded I reckon I could have stopped. That is what is disappointing.

"It bounced over a defender (Joseph Yobo) and their man was in. Maybe I could have done something about that. It is a lack of concentration against one ball up the pitch. I wish we could get into attacking situations as easily as that. We needed to concentrate and see the situation through correctly, but we didn't.

"A lot of our best attacking came through Bilyaletdinov, he played well and deserved his goal. We were not anywhere near how we can play. We are still hunting for that balance. We have to keep plugging away, overall we have to come through it to find form and a bit of style.''