West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola hailed his team after they twice fought back from one down to draw 2-2 at Everton.

The point avoided a seventh successive loss and leaves them one point above the drop zone with five games left.

Following Araujo Ilan's dramatic late headed equaliser, Zola said: "At 2-1, it could have been a massive blow but we reacted and it was brilliant.

"It has been a great day. It will give us a lot of confidence and that will be very important for the next matches."

The Italian manager went into the match under huge pressure having suffered a Premier League club record six straight defeats which left West Ham hovering one place above the three relegation spots, but only on goal difference.

606: DEBATE So proud of the boys, fantastic result considering the run we were on! Hines_means_A_goal

Zola gave his players three days off to recharge their batteries after successive home defeats against Wolves and Stoke, and they put in a spirited performance.

Despite Mido missing a penalty, Zola's men twice came from behind.

Manuel da Costa cancelled out Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's first-half header, and Ilan scored just three minutes after Yakubu's strike appeared to have sealed it for the Toffees, who had won their previous seven matches at home.

"We decided to fight until the end and today was a clear demonstration that we kept our promise because we never gave up," Zola added.

"I'm very pleased with my team. If you have that kind of attitude, you have no regrets. It was fantastic. I am going to get drunk tonight!

"I wouldn't say the last five games are going to be a matter of life and death - but very close. We know what football is like but we are not going to hold anything back."

The big disappointment for Zola was a booking for midfielder Scott Parker who will now miss the next two games - at home to Sunderland and a trip to Liverpool - through suspension after he collected his 10th yellow card of the season.

Although Everton boss David Moyes conceded a draw had been a fair result, he was angry his side had been denied a penalty when Louis Saha went down under a Da Costa challenge.

"I think that was a crucial moment," said Moyes.

"We've played better this season but we looked as though not playing great we were going to win the game, but it was not to be. I don't think either team did enough to worry the keepers.

"I have to give West Ham credit, though. They made it hard for us with a lot of people behind the ball and we just didn't have enough to break them down."

The draw leaves Everton in eighth with only a mathematical chance of qualifying for the Champions League as they are nine points behind fourth-place Manchester City.

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