Chelsea 4 Blackburn Rovers 2

Last updated : 29 October 2005 By Footymad Previewer
The incredible Frank Lampard pulled Chelsea back from the embarrassment of lost points with a brace of goals and won three Premiership points for the Champions.

Chelsea, undefeated after ten games started the game like a bat out of hell.

They raced into a two-goal lead, before being backed into a corner as Rovers pulled back the deficit on the stroke of half-time.

But Chelsea proved their credentials and the right to be regarded as something special with a scintillating second-half display as they dismantled Rovers' stoic rearguard bit by bit.

Within seconds of the start, Chelsea had broken through but Didier Drogba could not latch onto an excellent Joe Cole ball. But the inevitable first goal came on ten minutes.

Lampard had already sent a corner into the box - it was cleared back to him. His second effort was spot on as it was met with a deft headed touch by Drogba on the six-yard box and the ball was clipped into the net.

A minute later and another fine counter-attacking move saw Lampard feed the ball to Shaun Wright-Philips who knocked a pass to the advancing Michael Essien.

The midfielder did well to connect with the ball but it went inches wide of goalkeeper Brad Friedel's left-hand post. But just two minutes later Chelsea extended their lead.

Andy Todd fouled John Terry in the penalty area and referee Alan Riley awarded Chelsea a spot-kick.

Up stepped Lampard to hammer home his 100th league goal and 60th for the Blues.

Blackburn, remarkably kept their cool and were back in the game on 18 minutes - again via a penalty.

Centre-back Ricardo Carvalho lunged for the ball but caught the thigh of Zurab Khizanishvili instead.

Craig Bellamy repeated Lampard's effort, sending Petr Cech the wrong way putting the ball into the keeper's right-hand side of the net.

Within seconds of the break, and the Rovers comeback was complete.

This time a poor Asier del Horno back-pass saw Cech sky the ball. Brett Emerton out-jumped Terry and angled the ball into the path of Bellamy, who stooped to head home from six yards.

But those who got Chelsea into the mess were allowed to get them out of it and Lampard proved to be the inspiration.

On 62 minutes, Chelsea were awarded a free-kick, wide on the left.

Lampard dispatched a trademark whipped free-kick into the penalty area. Such was the swerve on the ball, that it deceived the Blackburn defence, took one bounce off the grass before sneaking past the outstretched left-hand dive of Friedel and into the net.

It was no more than the Londoners deserved and Blackburn had no answer to the rampant hosts.

The fourth goal was just desserts, if a little lucky.

Cole collected the ball in midfield from Claude Makelele and raced towards goal.

From 25 yards out he unleashed a fine right-footer which took a wicked deflection off the hapless Khizanishvili - sending the ball into the corner of the net as Friedel was again sent the wrong way.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Frank Lampard (Chelsea) - The back to form midfielder can score goals, head, tackle and display courage and leadership. He showed all those qualities with an overwhelmingly impressive display.