Toffees unstuck as Jerome equalises

Substitute Cameron Jerome made an immediate impact with a goal which earned Stoke a 1-1 draw at home to Everton in their Barclays Premier League clash.

Peter Crouch's freak own goal a minute before half-time put Everton ahead, but Jerome equalised with his first contribution 90 seconds after being introduced as part of a treble change.

It was a deserved point for the Potters, who carried a first-half threat from Rory Delap's long throws and improved their all-round performance after the break, and they could even have won it in stoppage time through Kenwyne Jones or Robert Huth.

Rory Delap delivered an early trademark long throw which Robert Huth met, only for the referees' assistant to raise their flag. Matthew Etherington then lofted an effort over before Huth headed another Delap missile too high.

Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard was just able to fist a cross away from Jones' head, before Leon Osman managed to get a couple of shots away in quick succession, both saved by Asmir Begovic.

Huth prompted Howard to punch the ball behind before the visitors went on the attack again, a cross from Magaye Gueye - who had come on a substitute in the 22nd minute for the injured Victor Anichebe - cannoning off Nikica Jelavic and over.

Steven Pienaar then saw his fierce strike helped over the bar by Begovic, Gueye drilled wide from the resulting corner, and moments later, Everton snatched the lead.

Pienaar played a short free-kick to Tony Hibbert, whose cross struck Stoke's Marc Wilson and then his team-mate Crouch before bouncing past Begovic.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis refreshed things after the break by deploying his three substitutes in one fell swoop in the 67th minute as Jerome, Ricardo Fuller and Glenn Whelan replaced Jon Walters, Crouch and Delap, and his decision paid off almost immediately as the Potters pulled level.

Jerome showed great determination to power forward and he got the better of Phil Jagielka and John Heitinga to force the ball past Howard and in.