Mikel Arteta's last-gasp penalty kept Everton's hopes of a European place alive with a 2-1 victory over Fulham at Goodison Park.
Leighton Baines' poor backpass allowed Erik Nevland to score for the visitors, who rested nine players ahead of their Europa League match against Hamburg.
Everton equalised just after the break when substitute Victor Anichebe's header was deflected in off Chris Smalling's shoulder.
The match looked set for a draw until midfielder maestro Mikel Arteta fired in a dramatic injury-time winner from the spot after Chris Baird's clumsy challenge on Tim Cahill.
The Blues started brightly, until a horrendous back pass by left back Leighton Baines let in Eric Nevland to chip over Tim Howard, giving Fulham a 36th minute lead, completely against the run of play.
Everton went in with bowed heads at half time, undoubtedly about to face wrath of David Moyes who looked frustrated from the sidelines as he saw his team have the lion’s share of first half possession, with little end product.
Victor Anichebe was introduced at half time in place of the young Russian Diniyar Bilyaletdinov who had another lamentable first half on the left hand side of midfield.
Anichebe made the difference immediately when he nodded home a Mikel Arteta dinked cross after the Spaniard had linked up well with Pienaar to create the opening.
Everton continued to huff and puff in the second half but were repeatedly denied until the 94th minute when a foul on Cahill allowed Arteta to claim his second spot kick in as many games.
The players were met with a quiet atmosphere in Goodison. A normally raucous Gwladys Street had good reason to feel crestfallen having just seen Aston Villa’s lunchtime victory over Birmingham all but dispel any chance of the Blues playing European football next season.
Everton fielded what was as close to a full strength side as they have all season, barring the loss of influential midfielder Marouane Fellaini.
The same couldn’t be said for Fulham who looked short of firepower, their absentees including Damien Duff, Bobby Zamora and Danny Murphy.
But they didn’t have to wait long before being awoken by a thunderous strike by Diniyar Bilyaletdinov which crashed off Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer’s post in the third minute.
The Blues capitalised on early mistakes by Fulham, particularly Arteta and Pienaar who were given far too much space in the opening exchanges.
Pienaar showed why David Moyes will be desperate for the South African to put pen to paper on a new deal this summer, when he danced through four Fulham players before being challenged clumsily in the area, sparking a huge penalty appeal which was waved away by referee Lee Mason.
Minutes later another opening orchestrated by Arteta saw Phil Neville with space at the by line, his cross flashing inches away from the sliding boot of Tim Cahill who would surely have opened the scoring.
Fulham scarcely had a chance to speak of until Leighton Baines, a reliable campaigner for the Blues this season, made a critical error in passing back to his keeper blind, allowing a grateful Eric Nevland to collect the ball and finish well past Howard.
Frustration sounded around Goodison as Everton response was characterised by a succession of poor crossing, particularly from full backs Baines and Hibbert who continued to give Mark Schwarzer catching practice from good positions.
Just before half time two aerial challenges in as many minutes saw Mikel Arteta leave the field early to have a cut on his head tended to, thankful Evertonians cheered the special Spaniards return to the pitch for the second half.
One change at half time was that of Victor Anichebe coming on to replace Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.
Patience in the crowd is fast waning for Bilyaletdinov who continues to show touches of talent, but is largely wasteful in possession. No doubt a talent, Evertonians will be interested to see if he is more at home next season.
Anichebe made an almost instant impact. His deflected header found the back of Schwarzer’s net in the 49th minute. Claims that it may have been an own goal on the part of Smalling will no doubt be decided, in time, by the dubious goals panel.
Moyes encouraged his men to press on, taking off Phil Neville in place of top scorer Louis Saha and introducing youngster Jose Baxter for a tired looking Yakubu, minutes before time.
But it was Fulham who might well have taken the lead when an excellent piece of counter attacking play was finshed poorly by an unimpressive Okaka whose shot was straight into the arms of a vulnerable Tim Howard.
A late surge by Everton finally broke the defence of an unfamiliar Fulham back line went Tim Cahill was sent sprawling by Baird leaving Lee Mason no choice but to point to the spot.
Arteta obliged with familiar accuracy, sending Schwarzer the wrong way and Everton towards victory.
EVERTON (4-5-1): Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Neville (Saha, 60), Bilyaletdinov (Anichebe, 45), Arteta, Cahill , Pienaar, Yakubu (Baxter, 87)
FULHAM (4-4-2): Schwarzer, Pantsil, Baird, Shorey, Smalling, Riise, Dempsey, Greening, Dikgacoi, Okaka Chuka (Stoor 89), Nevland (Elm 78)
GOALS: Nevland (36), Anichebe (49), Arteta (90+4)
Ref: Lee Mason
Att: 35,578
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