Ross Barkley grabs dramatic late equaliser as Everton hold Hull City

Ross Barkley popped up with a late equaliser to deny Hull City all three points and salvage a draw for Everton at the KCOM Stadium.

Michael Dawson gave the hosts the lead in just the sixth minute, only for goalkeeper David Marshall to concede an own goal on the stroke of half-time.

Robert Snodgrass thought he had given Mike Phelan's strugglers a crucial three points, but Barkley was on hand to convert a header six minutes from time to rescue a point for the visitors.

The game was an entertaining one from the off, but Everton looked like they had overdone it over the festive period, and their sluggishness was punished as Dawson superbly broke the deadlock – the Tigers’ first league goal in 287 minutes.

To their credit, Ronald Koeman’s men responded well, and were rewarded with an equaliser, one which Hull goalkeeper Marshall won’t want to see again, mind. Then, in another twist, Snodgrass superbly gave the home side the lead 20 minutes into the second half, just after a he’d hit the crossbar with a similarly brilliant free-kick.

Hull’s inability to keep cleansheets – the Tigers have gone 21 games in all competitions without one – came back to haunt them, as Barkley headed a late leveller to snatch a point for a lacklustre Toffees.

The result sees Hull climb off the bottom of the table, temporarily at least, but they will feel like this was two points dropped having held the lead twice. Everton stay in seventh.

Is that the boost Ross Barkley needed to kick on? We all know he has been blessed with God-given talent that us football fanatics can only dream of possessing, but having been tipped for the top for so long, Barkley has rarely produced the goods on a regular basis. His lack of end product has frustrated Toffees fans, but a late goal like the leveller at the KCOM Stadium could do his confidence a world of good, and we may well see his name on the scoresheet on a more regular basis.

Robert Snodgrass. To have the ability to curl one sublime free-kick over the wall, beating the goalkeeper all ends up, is impressive, but to then step up again, after your first effort had come back off the underside of the crossbar, and find the top corner, is incredible. Snodgrass has been directly involved in 50 per cent of Hull’s goals this season. Where would they be without him?

Hull: Marshall 6, Dawson 7, Davies 7, Maguire 7, Robertson 6, Meyler 5, Livermore 6, Elmohamady 6, Snodgrass 8, Mbokani 5, Diomande 5... Subs: Huddlestone N/A, Clucas 6.

Everton: Robles 6, Coleman 7, Jagielka 5, Ashley Williams 6, Baines 7, Barry 6, Gana 7, Barkley 7, Valencia 7, Lukaku 5, Mirallas 7... Subs: Funes Mori N/A, Davies 6, Calvert-Lewin 6.

6' - GOAL! Hull 1-0 Everton. Michael Dawson breaks the deadlock with the lethal finish. After three games without a goal, Hull find the net, but it is all too easy. Curtis Davies flicks a corner on and Dawson, in acres of space, lashes home superbly. The marking left much to be desired. Awful start from Everton here. Second best all over the park.

14' - POST! Much, much better from the Toffees. Great cross from Gareth Barry finds the head of Seamus Coleman, who arrows a header towards the bottom corner, but it comes back off the foot of the post and is cleared.

45+1' - GOAL! Hull 1-1 Everton. It has been coming, but it wasn't pretty as Marshall punches the ball into his own net!

47' - WHAT A SAVE! Marshall more than makes up for his error, tipping Lukaku's deflected effort onto the bar. Fantastic stop from the Hull stopper. Great work from Mirallas again to play in Lukaku.

55' - WOODWORK! What an effort from Snodgrass as he curls the ball over the wall, has the beating of Robles, but the ball bounces down off the crossbar. Would have been some goal.

65' - GOAL! Hull 2-1 Everton. What a goal! Stunning from Snodgrass to give the home side the lead again. He was unlucky with a superb earlier free-kick, but after Baines had conceded another free-kick on edge of the box, up stepped Snodgrass again, and this time he found the top corner. Robles got a hand to it, but couldn't keep it out.

84' - GOAL! Hull 2-2 Everton. Barkley heads Everton level. Hosts are pegged back again! Wonderful play from Baines to get into a crossing position, he has time to pick his man, and he does so with pinpoint accuracy, right onto the head of Barkley, who steered the ball home.

89' - CHANCE! What a opportunity to snatch three points. Coleman fires in a cross that meets the head of Calvert-Lewin but he is just off balance and his effort whistles past the post. It was so, so close.

No Premier League player has scored more direct free-kick goals this season than Snodgrass (two, level with Xherdan Shaqiri).

No Premier League side this season have scored more headed goals than Everton (9), with Ross Barkley the fifth different Toffees player to score one (after Gareth Barry, Romelu Lukaku, Seamus Coleman and Ashley Williams).

David Marshall has now played 14 Premier League games for Hull without a clean sheet. Only two goalkeepers have played more games for a Premier League club before keeping a clean sheet – Julian Speroni at Crystal Palace (16 games) and John Ruddy at Norwich (20 games).