Duff magic snatches win

Duff tried his luck from long range early on but Tim Howard did not have to move to make the save, then Clint Dempsey went wide with a drive from a similar distance.

David Stockdale was making his debut and was called into action on the quarter-of-an-hour mark when Jack Rodwell's drive deflected off Aaron Hughes, with the rookie using his knees to block and his team-mates clearing the rebound.

The hosts fell behind in the 33rd minute through the familiar sight of a headed goal by Tim Cahill.

Leighton Baines swung over the free-kick and Cahill jumped above Dickson Etuhu to head past Stockdale, although he should have been flagged for offside.

Leon Osman almost grabbed a second before the interval when he trapped Steven Pienaar's pass and went through on goal - but Hughes was back to make a last-ditch tackle.

Fulham`s fortuitous equaliser came when Murphy's free-kick was blocked by the defensive wall. It rebounded to Paul Konchesky, whose powerful drive deflected in off Sylvain Distin.

Etuhu caught Everton skipper Phil Neville badly just below the left knee, with John Heitinga coming on for his debut as a replacement.

Duff's moment, his first goal since arriving from Newcastle, came 11 minutes from full-time. Bobby Zamora headed on a long ball and Johnson tapped out wide to Duff. The Irishman made tracks towards the penalty area, cut inside Baines and unleashed a powerful drive past Howard.

Stockdale saved a Marouane Fellaini header from point-blank range and Murphy cleared Joseph Yobo's follow-up shot off the line but Fulham held on.