Premier League: Everton 2 Aston Villa 2

Everton scored a controversial equaliser to draw 2-2 with Aston Villa and leave Gerard Houllier?s side in the relegation scrapheap.

Leon Osman had given the Toffees a first-half lead before Villa roared back in the second with two goals from England striker Darren Bent.

Everton replied when Leighton Baines scored from the spot after Phil Jagielka went down under pressure from Jean Makoun. But the visitors were unhappy with the decision and the result leaves them just two points above the danger zone.

Villa boss Gerrard Houllier brought back Gabriel Agbonlahor into an attacking line-up alongside Stewart Downing, Ashley Young and Bent.

Meanwhile, Everton’s resources were so stretched that none of their substitutes had any Premier League experience.

Striker Louis Saha has been ruled out for the season putting the onus on Beckford and the former Leeds striker missed an early chance when he raced onto Kyle Walker’s loose back pass but his shot was well saved by Brad Friedel.

Villa responded well and went close when Luke Young’s cross eluded everyone before Nigel Reo-Coker’s strike was deflected over by a desperate Tony Hibbert block.

Everton were ahead in the 39th minute when Osman skipped inside Richard Dunne and fired in a strike that Friedel got a hand to but could not stop from rolling over the line.

Villa came out for the second half fired up and were level within two minutes when Downing’s dangerous cross was smashed into the roof of the net by Bent. Walker then blasted over from close range as the visitors pushed for a second.

But they rode their luck when Jonny Heitinga’s close-range header from a corner hit Friedel on the head and away to safety.

In the 68th minute, Beckford smashed a strike against the underside of the bar, which was ruled to have not crossed the line.

And to add insult to injury, Villa broke to the other end of the pitch and Bent slid home Ashley Young’s flick-on.

With 15 minutes to go, Osman failed to hit the target with the goal at his mercy.

But the equaliser finally came when Makoun was adjudged to have brought down Jagielka for Everton’s first penalty of the season, which Baines dispatched.