The home side started strongly and visitors' keeper Ben Foster had to be alert to stop Steven Pienaar's header from a Kevin Mirallas cross from finding the net as he made a smart stop.

West Brom's Shane Long and Everton's Leighton Baines battle for the ball on August 24, 2013 © Getty Images

The former Manchester man was in the action a minute later as the South African midfielder tried an ambitious 20-yard effort, but the keeper was down quickly to his right to make the save.

Foster continued to keep the Baggies in the game just before the break, as he somehow got his fingertips to a stinging effort from Mirallas to tip it over the bar.

After the break, the Baggies had their first real chance as Jonas Olsson met Graham Dorrans's free kick with a glancing header but it hit Nikica Jelavic on the way to goal and he managed to clear the danger.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez during the match against West Brom on August 24, 2013 © Getty Images

Everton responded to this threat as Leighton Baines teed up an effort for Ross Barkley but again Foster was there to deny the Toffees and he was on his feet quickly to block a follow-up shot from Marouane Fellaini.

The game was becoming an end-to-end affair and James Morrison forced Tim Howard into action with a drilled effort from 20 yards out after a neat one-two with Markus Rosenberg.

The Baggies were forced to end the game without Foster when he went off with an injury and was replaced by Luke Daniels. The keeper's first duty was to nearly pick the ball out of his net as Fellaini saw an effort crack of the post.

Both teams surged forward late on for a winner but neither could find a breakthrough as the game ended all square.