Frank Lampard faces the unthinkable as 30 cruel minutes ask new questions at Everton

And so this nightmare of a season takes one more hellish twist.

What felt unthinkable in August and unlikely in January now appears increasingly realistic.

With nine games to go make absolutely no mistake, Everton are in a fight for survival.

The fans know that. They knew it before the game but they are in no doubt now.

The travelling thousands once again did everything in their power to push their beloved club to victory, arriving at Turf Moor in hope of a win that would place daylight between the Blues and the drop zone.

For a few games at least, falling asleep would have been a little easier.

Instead it was the home crowd whose voices could be heard late into the rain and darkness of a miserable East Lancashire night for Everton.

Defeat came at the hands of a cruel, messy tangle that summed up a cruel, messy season so far.

Ben Godfrey, who earlier had burst forward in a lung-busting run as Everton sought to take all three points, got his legs tangled trying to clear a cross and substitute Matej Vydra pulled back to find Maxwel Cornet. For the third time in 90 minutes a goal that pierced the hearts of Everton fans was conceded from just yards out.

It was a tough conclusion to a game in which the visitors had shown promise.

On so many occasions this season they have collapsed in the face of adversity.

Whether it be through conceding sloppy goals, making poor decisions or being let down by questionable refereeing, they have crumbled when things have gone against them.

That was not the case at Turf Moor. On a night that threatened to mean so much in the battle for survival they threw everything at trying to get three points.

Twice they wrestled control of the game after conceding big goals at potentially