IT wasn’t the ideal end to a decent week for Everton FC, but it could have been worse.

Leon Osman’s late strike salvaged a point for David Moyes’ side against a resilient Norwich City, who had looked set to secure their second away league win of the season after Grant Holt’s first-half opener.

Osman, the standout performer in a low-key performance from the home side, popped up nine minutes from time, diverting a shot from Royston Drenthe into the Gwladys Street net.

It may not have been enough to secure the victory most Evertonians had demanded before kick-off, but it prevented a third straight defeat for Moyes’ men. And while it was fitting that Osman should prove the saviour, Drenthe’s impact should not be understated.

Having missed defeats to Stoke City and Arsenal with a foot injury, here it was the Dutchman’s introduction as a substitute, 19 minutes from the end of this previously sterile contest, which eventually sparked Everton into life.

Not only did he create Osman’s leveller, he also came as close as anyone to turning one point into three during a hyperactive cameo, seeing two late efforts saved by John Ruddy, Norwich’s former Everton goalkeeper.

“The manager tells me to just try to play direct, direct, direct,” revealed Drenthe afterwards. “That’s all he tells me, and that is all I try to do.”

It certainly showed here.

Clearly, Moyes is still to be convinced. The 24-year-old, after all, has the ability to both dazzle and infuriate in equal measures.

Such inconsistency perhaps explains why this was only the sixth start Drenthe has made since arriving on loan from Spanish giants Real Madrid in August, and why Moyes hinted post-match that he may continue to use his talents sparingly over the coming weeks.

Nonetheless, there is little doubt that, on-song, the former Dutch U21 star makes a difference to this Everton side.

His arrival here prompted an instant injection of pace and purpose, both of which had been woefully lacking previously.

Moyes, boosted by the return of Osman after the hamstring complaint which kept him out of the defeat to Arsenal, handed Magaye Gueye a first start of the season. Jack Rodwell’s own hamstring problem limited him to a spot on the bench.

And though the crowd of 31,004 was Goodison’s lowest in the league all season, Everton began brightly. They had previously gone 192 minutes without registering a shot on target, but took just seven minutes to put that particular statistic right.

Leighton Baines, prominent throughout, whipped a low ball in from the left which Tim Cahill cushioned into the path of Marouane Fellaini. Ruddy, however, was quick to smother the Belgian’s first-time effort. It would not be the last crucial intervention from the man who spent five years as an Everton player.

Osman was next to threaten, his left-foot shot deflecting wide off Russell Martin. From the resulting corner, Fellaini glanced wide from inside the six-yard box.