ROQUE Santa Cruz grabbed his third goal of the season but Blackburn Rovers had to settle for a point following a determined second half fightback by Everton.

Rovers took a first half lead when Santa Cruz struck from close range after the ball rebounded to him eight yards out.

But David Moyes' side then struck back courtesy of James McFadden, who grabbed a point for the Toffees with a neat finish 13 minutes from time.

Nevertheless, manager Mark Hughes will be pleased with the way his side performed on the day against opponents who started the season with design on breaking into the top four.

Rovers had to weather an early storm from Everton as Mikel Arteta, Andy Johnson and Alan Stubbs all forced sharp saves out of Brad Friedel during a lively opening quarter of an hour.

But the visitors then stunned Goodison Park into silence when they snatched the lead against the run of play in the 16th minute.

Morten Gamst Pedersen's acrobatic overhead kick cannoned back off the crossbar straight to Santa Cruz, who was completely unmarked eight yards out, and although he scuffed his shot, it still found a way past Tim Howard at the near post.

After that, Rovers dominated the remainder of the half, and they were unlucky not to extend their lead before the interval, as first Chris Samba had a header kicked off the line by Leighton Baines, then Howard produced a wonderful save to keep out a David Dunn blockbuster.

Everton cranked up the pressure in the second half and they might have drawn level when Johnson crossed for McFadden, but the striker's glancing header drifted wide of the far post.

However, the home side's pressure finally told in the 77th minute when McFadden connected sweetly with an Arteta cross and his low side-footer crept into the bottom corner, giving Friedel no chance.

In a stirring finish, Rovers might have grabbed a late winner when a Bentley free kick took a wicked deflection but Howard tipped his effort onto the bar, and from the follow up Jason Roberts had a header hacked off the line.

Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Stubbs, Baines, Osman, Carsley, Neville, Arteta, Johnson, McFadden. Subs: Jagielka, (for Carsley, 41), Lescott (for Stubbs, 46), Anichebe (for Hibbert, 64) Not used: Pienaar, Wessels, Rovers: Friedel, Emerton, Ooijer, Samba, Warnock, Bentley, Dunn, Savage, Pedersen, McCarthy, Santa Cruz. Subs: Derbyshire (for McCarthy, 75), Mokoena (for Dunn, 86) Roberts (for Santa Cruz, 90) Not used: Tugay, Brown Referee: Mr M Riley (Leeds)