Gylfi Sigurdsson atoned for an earlier penalty miss with a second-half double to fire Everton to their first Premier League win in four games against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The Iceland striker had blasted a 52nd-minute spot-kick against the bar but four minutes later he drilled home the opener from the edge of the box then grabbed his second late on after substitute Cenk Tosun had sealed the points for the hosts in a 3-0 victory.
If Toffees boss Marco Silva cut a relieved figure at the final whistle he will still be aware his side still failed to entirely convince, and could have faced more frustration had Ryan Sessegnon not hit a first-half chance against the bar.
Sessegnon raced onto a low cross-field ball from Jean Michael Serri and cut into the box, where he lashed a shot against the underside of the woodwork from a tight angle.
It had marked an encouraging end to the first period for the struggling visitors, who had produced a dogged defensive performance to soak up Everton's sporadic attacks and grew into the game as the half wore on.
Slavisa Jokanovic was forced to reshuffle after losing Timothy Fonsue-Mensah after just four minutes with a suspected dislocated shoulder, but his replacement Cyrus Christie fitted in well.
Everton's most persistent threat came from Richarlison, pushing into a more offensive role by Silva as he sought to end a disappointing run of just three goals from their last four matches.
📸 | What. A. View. 😍 #EFCMatchday pic.twitter.com/gSOsE1JkWd — Everton (@Everton) September 29, 2018
The Brazilian had a 10th-minute effort blocked following a mistake by Fulham's recalled defender Tim Ream, but the visitors responded with a powerful shot over the bar from Andre Schurrle.
Another good effort from Richarlison was deflected over the bar as Everton pressed, a combination of Denis Odoi and Fulham keeper Marcus Bettinelli combining to deny Theo Walcott then Richarlison again.
Sessegnon's near-miss breathed life into Fulham, who ended the first half on top, but referee Roger East's decision to award the home side a penalty after Odoi's shove on Dominic Calvert-Lewin looked set to change the course of the match.
Sigurdsson struck the bar with his spot-kick, the signal for Silva to shuffle things up front with Tosun introduced in place of the ineffective Calvert-Lewin on 55.
And almost immediately, Sigurdsson made up for his penalty effort when he drilled home the opening goal after Jonjoe Kenny's deep cross had been half-cleared into his path.
Still the home side struggled to wrap up the points, and Fulham should have been level on the hour when Schurrle launched a counter-attack before playing in Luciano Vietto, whose poor first touch enabled Jordan Pickford to race out and gather.
Everton sealed a long-overdue victory on the hour when Walcott whipped in a cross from the left and substitute Tosun was on hand to nod home his first goal of the season.
Walcott drilled a low shot straight at Bettinelli after springing clear on the counter-attack before Sigurdsson sealed a relatively convincing win in the 89th minute with a low drive from substitute Bernard's cross.
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