Under-pressure Everton manager Ronald Koeman said he hoped his struggling side had gained "a little bit of confidence" after Wayne Rooney's 90th-minute penalty earned them a 1-1 draw at Brighton.
The Toffees, who spent £140m on new players in the summer, have won just two of their opening eight league games this season.
And they produced another lacklustre display at the Amex Stadium, with home goalkeeper Mat Ryan only seriously tested in the dying seconds of the match.
"We know we can play better but the commitment and belief was really positive," said Koeman.
"Maybe it's only one point, but it is a different picture. We at least deserved one point."
Brighton looked set to secure their third successive home league win when Anthony Knockaert slotted home in the 82nd minute after Jose Izquierdo's shot was blocked by Michael Keane.
But, with the clock ticking down, Seagulls defender Bruno elbowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the area as a free-kick was floated in.
Rooney sent Ryan the wrong way with his spot-kick, but the Australian rescued his side when he twice saved from substitute Kevin Mirallas in the closing seconds.
Koeman praised Rooney for keeping his composure.
He said: "Taking penalties is not the most difficult job but, at that moment, if your team needs points and you keep calm then that is experience and that is world-class."
Were it not for Bruno's late indiscretion, it is likely Everton would have fallen to their fifth league defeat of the season.
Bar an effort from Nikola Vlasic and a firm angled strike by Mason Holgate, they did little to cause panic in Brighton's organised and lusty backline, once again led admirably by Lewis Dunk.
The visitors did come close to snatching all three points in the final seconds, but that would have been akin to paint covering damp.
Rooney was largely impotent up front and £45m signing Gylfi Sigurdsson once again looked off-key - he had one effort on goal, a 20-yard free-kick which, uncharacteristically, flew very wide.
Despite their summer outlay, Everton have scored only seven goals in their past 13 league matches under Koeman, and more pertinently have only won twice.
The Toffees, who move up one place to 16th, next host Arsenal in the league.
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