Lampard double lifts Chelsea 2-1 over Everton

December 30, 2012 10:37 pm | Updated 10:37 pm IST - London

Frank Lampard scored twice as Chelsea came from behind to beat Everton 2-1 on Sunday and climb to third in the Premier League table.

Steven Pienaar put Everton ahead after 63 seconds but Lampard headed an equaliser before half-time.

Nikica Jelavic then hit the bar for Everton, but Lampard found the winner that took Chelsea above Tottenham Hotspur in the table with their fourth successive league victory.

For Everton it was a first home league defeat of the season but they remain sixth in the table, middle of three teams on 33 points, five behind Chelsea.

Everton took the lead in the second minute, Pienaar ramming the ball home after Victor Anichebe had headed Phil Jagielka’s cross against the bar.

Leon Osman almost doubled their advantage with a snap shot from the edge of the box that Petr Cech pushed away.

But the longer the half went on, the more Chelsea came into it.

Tim Howard blocked a Juan Mata shot but was powerless as Lampard headed in a Ramires cross four minutes before the break.

Cech succumbed to an ankle injury and had to be replaced at half-time by Ross Turnbull.

Encouraged, Everton bombarded Chelsea, trying to unsettle Turnbull in a swirling wind. The first real chance of the half, though, fell to Chelsea, Howard making a fine save to his left.

Moments later, Jelavic thudded a header against the bar but it was Chelsea who took the lead after 71 minutes, Lampard forcing the ball over the line after Howard had parried a shot from Mata.

It was his sixth of the season in 11 games, of which Chelsea have won 10 and drawn one.

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