Seamus Coleman scored the added-time winner that may yet see Everton in the Europa League and Cardiff in the Championship next season.

For Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, however, the bad luck that dogged his team on both Everton goals was compounded by his belief that his team were denied a certain penalty.

Solskjaer’s side had looked far from relegation fodder as Juan Cala quickly levelled after Everton’s exciting young winger Gerard Deulofeu had opened the scoring close to the hour mark.

But, halfway through four minutes of added time, Aiden McGeady’s cross was met by a committed Gareth Barry, whose far-post header kept the ball in play and allowed Coleman to score via a mis-hit shot which wrong-footed David Marshall in the Cardiff goal.

The Cardiff manager had been enraged eight minutes earlier when substitute Wilfried Zaha slalomed past three Everton defenders before going to ground after contact from Sylvain Distin. But the resulting appeal fell on the deaf ears of referee Roger East.

‘It was a stonewall penalty for Wilf,’ said Solskjaer.

‘I don’t know how many times we have to claim a penalty and not get it. It’s about time we did.

‘Distin trips him up, but you can talk about it all day long.

‘Look at the video, that doesn’t help, does it?”

Everton manager Roberto Martinez conceded Solskjaer had a point but also had a gripe with the official, pointing out that Kevin Theophile-Catherine could have been sent off instead of booked for a late first-half foul on Barry.

‘I believe it could have been,’ said Martinez. ‘Both feet are off the ground, he doesn’t get the ball, it was a reckless challenge with a lot of violence.’

Still, Solskjaer’s praise for his team’s effort, spirit and creativity was not misplaced against an Everton side seeking a seventh consecutive home win and fifth-placed finish.

Deulofeu offered a glimpse of his undoubted potential on what was only his fourth Premier League start of an injury-hit season-long loan.

Martinez utilised his extensive Catalan contacts to sign Delofeu, 20, from Barcelona and has been true to his promise to develop the winger slowly.

In his one first-half attack, Deulofeu cut in and produced a superb low shot which was kept out by an equally excellent save from Marshall.

On his second such moment, Deulofeu chased on to Leon Osman’s touch down the flank, cut in past Gary Medel and beat Marshall at his near post thanks to a deflection off Steven Caulker.

But Cardiff levelled when a 68th-minute free-kick from Peter Whittingham caused panic in the Everton six-yard area and Cala forged ahead of his marker to turn the ball past Tim Howard with his chest.

Deulofeu’s goal came a minute short of the 60 that Martinez had told him he would play as he returns to full fitness from injury, making the goal timely as well as important.

‘He tends to leave it late,’ said Martinez with a familiar smile.

From the outset it appeared to invite pressure and Marshall produced his first fine save to deny Kevin Mirallas after the Belgian had run across the area and cut back to shoot.

Cardiff then got in a muddle defending a corner and, luckily for them, Steven Caulker’s attempted clearance ricocheted off Romelu Lukaku over the bar and not on target.

Leon Osman and Leighton Baines both shot over for Everton and Deulofeu appeared to be tripped in the area by Cala, but there were no home complaints.

A good move down the right saw Coleman and Lukaku set up another chance for Mirallas but Cala dived across to block.

Cardiff had their first clear-cut chance just before the half-hour when a pass from attack-minded Fabio deflected off two defenders into the path of Fraizer Campbell, but Tim Howard produced a good reaction save.

Marshall matched Howard barely moments later as he dived to his right to keep out a low effort from Barcelona loanee Deulofeu.

The Scottish keeper bettered that soon after as he palmed away a powerful Lukaku strike that seemed destined for the top corner.

Cardiff were arguably fortunate to end the first half with 11 men after Theophile-Catherine caught Gareth Barry late with a rash challenge.

Referee Roger East allowed Everton to play advantage at the time but later went back to book an apologetic Theophile-Catherine.

Everton looked to step up the tempo after the break and Lukaku had a close-range effort blocked, but Campbell was also denied by Howard after a quick Cardiff counter-attack.

East got his yellow card out again after Gary Medel and Osman got into a tangle and then confronted each other but the situation soon calmed down.

Everton got back to business and were finally rewarded for their dominance when Deulofeu took possession on the left, ran unchallenged to the six-yard box and beat Marshall with a shot wickedly deflected off Caulker.

Cardiff responded and Everton’s defence — still lacking injured England international Phil Jagielka — were caught out as Peter Whittingham swung in a free-kick and Cala turned in the equaliser off his thigh and chest.

The Toffees might immediately have reclaimed the lead but Osman’s strike flew across goal.

Marshall then came to their rescue again with another excellent stop after Lukaku’s strike from the edge of the area took a tricky deflection off Theophile-Catherine.

Another good chance looked to be falling to James McCarthy but the Ireland international completely miskicked.

Cardiff, who sent on Wilfried Zaha, fought on and Campbell dispossessed Stones but the defender recovered to deny him a shot.

Zaha appealed for a penalty after being challenged by Distin but East waved play on.

Marshall saved Cardiff again in injury time by blocking a Ross Barkley header but Coleman’s mishit shot from a Barry header wrong-footed him.

—Daily Mail