Everton and Blackburn Rovers were locked in a 1-1 draw in a feisty clash between the founder members of the Premier League, in a late match at Goodison Park on Saturday.

The Toffees took their tally to seven points in four games while Rovers have five points from three games.

Mark Hughes’ side took the lead in the 15th minute when Roque Santa Cruz scored his third goal in four matches, after joining this summer from Bayern Munich.

The Paraguayan reacted quickly to fire home from a rebound after Morten Gamst Pedersen had struck the crossbar with an overhead kick off a Robbie Savage ball.

Joseph Yobo saw his shot from the box sail over the cross bar as the Toffees tried to claw their way back in the game with Rovers being in dominating mood in the first half with Chris Samba proving a constant threat on set-pieces.

In a physical display where in robust tackles were an order of the day, The Toffees had a few chances of their own in the second half as the visitors looked to have sat back on their slender lead.

Substitute Phil Jagielka, who had come on for Lee Carsley (groin) in the 41st minute, came closest to equalising as he failed to find the target with a glancing header off a Andy Johnson cross early in the second half.

The Toffees also failed to display coordination while attacking after the hour mark as there was confusion between Johnson and Leon Osman and in the process making a hash of the chance.

The England striker also seemed to have done damage to his ankle as Osman came full steam at him while Johnson was about to launch a full-blooded strike. Luckily the former Crystal Palace man was fit to continue after a brief treatment.

The home side finally equalised with James McFadden squeezing his shot from the box, past the host of defenders and Brad Friedel’s near post after Mikel Arteta floated in a perfect cross for him in the 78th minute.

Minutes later, Arteta’s free-kick from right, sailed across the Rovers goal with Victor Anichebe’s outstretched leg unable to get any sort of touch that could have got David Moyes’s side a possible winner.

Stephen Warnock made a crucial tackle as the Toffees were on the attack in the 85th minute with Johnson ready to pull the trigger. At the other end, a Rovers corner-kick from Pedersen saw a header from Santa Cruz go agonisingly close to Tim Howard’s goal.

The Toffees had a reprieve as Howard was helped by cross bar to deny substitute Jason Roberts goal in injury time. Joleon Lescott came up with goalline clearance off a following attempt.

Teams

Everton: Tim Howard, Leighton Baines, Tony Hibbert (Victor Anichebe 64), Phil Neville, Alan Stubbs (Joleon Lescott 46), Joseph Yobo, Mikel Arteta, Lee Carsley (Phil Jagielka 41), Leon Osman, Andrew Johnson, James McFadden.

Substitutes not used: Stefan Wessels, Steven Pienaar.

Blackburn: Brad Friedel, Andre Ooijer, Christopher Samba, Stephen Warnock, David Bentley, David Dunn (Aaron Mokoena 86), Brett Emerton, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Robbie Savage, Benedict McCarthy (Matt Derbyshire 74), Roque Santa Cruz (Jason Roberts 89).

Substitutes not used: Jason Brown, Tugay Kerimoglu.