Igor Thiago made history by scoring his 21st goal of the Premier League season but it wasn't enough as Everton snatched a stoppage-time point from Brentford.
A win for either side would have meant that they would move up alongside Liverpool in fifth, putting them within touching distance of an unlikely Champions League spot with a month left in the campaign.
The hosts thought that would be them after Thiago's historic double, but a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall stoppage-time equaliser meant both sides missed their chance.
Brentford made the dream start as Kevin Schade raced through on goal and was taken out by Jordan Pickford inside the opening two minutes.
Thiago, fresh off his first goal for Brazil during the break, made no mistake from 12 yards to score his 20th Premier League goal of the season and tie Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo for the club record in the competition.
While it was a slow start from the Toffees, they grew into proceedings and forced Caoimhin Kelleher into a remarkable double save just before the half hour mark. However, they wouldn't have to wait too much longer to pull level as Beto clinically headed home moments later despite protests for a foul on Keane Lewis-Potter in the build-up.
Schade nearly went from provider to goalscorer as his header from a set-piece cannoned off the bar from a corner which was won thanks to a sharp save from Jordan Pickford to keep out Mathias Jensen.
The hosts hit the woodwork again early in the second half via the head of Collins, while the Toffees were thwarted once more by Kelleher who denied both Iliman Ndiaye and Dewsbury-Hall impressively.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man as Thiago broke the record in fortuotous fashion as Michael Kayode's toepoke deflected off the striker, who was trying to get out the way of the shot, and beat the prone Pickford.
It seemed that would be enough for the win, until Dewsbury-Hall showed incredible composure to slot home in the 91st-minute meaning that both remain in seventh and eighth respectively.
More to follow.