Osman saves Toffees

Huth's header five minutes after the break gave Stoke reward for a spirited, competitive performance.

Everton extended their unbeaten run to six games when stand-in skipper Leon Osman lashed home the equaliser from the edge of the box.

The long ball into the box was the main weapon of both sides, and Everton had a couple of efforts blocked from Louis Saha and Tim Cahill, before the Australian should have netted after 15 minutes.

Marouane Fellaini swung in a cross from the left, and Cahill ducked low for a header just six yards out, but Thomas Sorensen managed to clutch the effort at the second attempt.

Tim Howard, faced with a similar downward header a minute later at the other end from Ricardo Fuller, also struggled to hold the effort cleanly.

Osman produced a fine snapshot on the edge of the box which Sorensen saw late but did well to turn over the bar.

Stoke went ahead when Matthew Etherington's right-wing corner curled into the box and defender Huth soared above Cahill to power home his first goal since his £6million summer move from Middlesbrough.

The lead lasted five minutes. Johnny Heitinga came forward from the back and exchanged passes with Osman, who struck a fierce drive from the edge of the box which crashed into the net off the underside of the bar.

With 15 minutes left Everton sent on strikers Jo and Ayegbeni Yakubu for midfielders Osman and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov but even after that change, they did not make a serious opportunity.