Despite Aston Villa coming into the game as the form side having scored 15 goals in their last three games compared to Everton's two, it was the Toffees who flew out of the blocks.
Villa were given a passing lesson in the first exchanges as the relatively diminutive Everton kept the ball on the floor against Martin O'Neill's big, powerful side.
In fact, the normally fluid Villains were confined to hoofing long balls up field.
The returning and influential Leon Osman could have put the home side ahead after just five minutes after great work by Phil Neville and Manuel Fernandes played him in, but the midfielder pulled his shot wide.
As the game progressed, Villa, who were backed by vociferous away support, began to get a handle on the game.
Gareth Barry and Wilfred Bouma controlled the tempo, with John Carew enjoying a solid game up front.
However, Fernandes missed a glorious opportunity to put the home side ahead on 20 minutes.
Ayegbeni Yakubu went on a powerful and dogged run up the left flank shrugging off numerous challenges from Nigel Reo-Coker before cutting inside and firing in from 20 yards out.
An agile Scott Carson could only push the ball out to an oncoming Fernandes, who screwed horribly wide of an open goal from 18 yards out.
Villa were desperately unlucky on 29 minutes when Phil Jagielka fouled Olof Mellberg on the edge of the Everton area.
The impressive Ashley Young stepped up to float the ball wonderfully over the Everton wall only to see his effort hit the underside of the bar.
It wasn't until the second half that the game really came to life.
Everton started again much stronger and when Neville buried an 18 yard piledriver via Martin Laursen's back it looked like the home side were back to winning ways.
In fact, it was the Toffees who kept up the sustained pressure for most of the half and were always searching for the second and keeping Villa on the back foot.
But although both teams were contributing to a pulsating tie, it was harsh luck on the home side when the Toffees failed to defend Gareth Barry's corner andGabriel Agbonlahor bundled past Tim Howard in the 80th minute.
Four minutes later though, Everton restored the lead and looked to have finished the game off when Joseph Yobo fired in after Jagielka's free-kick found Lee Carsley, whose lobbed ball found the defender in front of goal.
But Everton hearts were broken just a minute later as the always dangerous John Carew fired in after Barry cross that left Howard completely rooted to the spot.
Everton pressed hard for the remainder of the game but, despite going close several times, they could not force the killer goal.