Goals from Seamus Coleman and Louis Saha had given Everton a 2-0 lead, but Clint Dempsey's 62nd minute strike for the visitors set up a nervy finish.

"We came out for the second half and got the perfect start with Louis' goal, but unfortunately we couldn't keep it at 2-0 and we had to do it the hard way," Jagielka told ESPN.

"Thankfully, we got the three points."

Jagielka went close with a header which was cleared off the line as Everton failed to re-establish their two-goal cushion.

"To be honest, I should have scored, but I'm not bothered as we won anyway," he added.

The 22-year-old Coleman had set Everton on their way, heading across goal from the back post after being left completely unmarked.

"I've had a few chances in the last couple of games at the back post but the keeper has pulled off a couple of saves," he said.

"Luckily today it went in and we won."

Manager David Moyes was happy to emerge with a win after Fulham got a goal back.

"We let them back into it a little from 2-0, I don't know if we came off the gas or if Fulham upped their game," he said.

"When they got the goal it was tough, they had a lot of the ball and we had to dig in, but with the players we had out there in that situation we knew we could do that."

Moyes also had praise for Coleman.

"He's been a little bit up and down of late, but he's growing and he's still a young boy in footballing terms," he said.

The only sour note for Everton was the sight of Saha coming off on a stretcher after an awkward fall.

Moyes said he did not yet know what the injury was.

"He signalled to the bench just before about his hamstring, so I don't know if its something different," he said.