BRIGHTON (Reuters) -Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton fought out a 0-0 draw in a dour Premier League clash on Monday after neither side managed to create any clear-cut chances with defences dominating at the Amex stadium.
The result left Everton eighth on 48 points from 30 games while Brighton moved one place up to 15th on 33 points from 31 games, seven ahead of the relegation zone with 18th-placed Fulham on 26 points from 32 matches.
Brighton manager Graham Potter was pleased with his team's display although he conceded the final pass let the dominant Seagulls down.
"In terms of the performance I’m really happy," he told the BBC. "We were the team closest to winning. We had some good moments, they blocked well and defended well when they had to.
"We missed the last pass of that bit of quality in the final third. But we are happy with what we have done. It’s an important point and we have to move forward as there's still work to be done."
Everton captain Seamus Coleman acknowledged his side would be left kicking themselves for dropping points against the league's struggling teams if they failed to qualify for European competition next season.
"Yeah it would be a massive disappointment," he told Sky Sports. "We have been given opportunities this season by other results. We just had to look after ourselves and we would have been in a better position.
"No disrespect to these teams but against your Fulhams at home and your Newcastles, that's where your disappointment comes. It's hard to put your finger on it."
Brighton had the upper hand in the first half and twice came close as Neal Maupay had a low shot deflected by Yerry Mina while Yves Bissouma fired over the bar with an acrobatic overhead kick from a tight angle.
Jakub Moder blazed a first-time shot off target after a corner midway through the second half as Brighton continued to press before Maupay volleyed wide from inside the penalty area.
Everton were forced to defend desperately as their keeper Robin Olsen tipped over a Lewis Dunk header in the 78th minute and the visitors also needed several frantic clearances in the closing stages to scrape a draw.
Everton, who were looking to set a club record of 10 away Premier League wins in a season, nearly snatched victory out of the blue in stoppage time as substitute Alex Iwobi shot inches over the crossbar.