SPORTS

Chelsea held by Everton, Emre fires Newcastle

By Ed Osmond
October 24, 2005 11:54 IST

Champions Chelsea dropped their first points of the season when they were held to a surprise 1-1 draw at bottom club Everton on Sunday.

James Beattie put Everton ahead but Frank Lampard equalised just after halftime to extend their unbeaten Premier League run to 39 and keep them nine points clear at the top.

A brilliant free kick by Turkish midfielder Emre Belozoglu earned Newcastle United a 3-2 win over north-east neighbours Sunderland, West Ham United beat Middlesbrough 2-1 and Bolton Wanderers defeated West Bromwich Albion 2-0 in Sunday's other games.

Everton were dreaming of only their second win of the season when striker Beattie converted a 35th-minute penalty following a foul on Tim Cahill by Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips.

England midfielder Lampard continued his prolific scoring form, however, with a clinical 20-metre strike five minutes after halftime at Goodison Park.

Chelsea dominated possession for the rest of the match but were unable to break down a disciplined Everton defence except when striker Didier Drogba had an effort ruled out for offside, a decision that angered Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho.

"My team scored two beautiful goals in the second half so for me we won the game," Mourinho told Sky Sports. "You saw the reaction of the players and I think we deserved to win because we were the best team and dominated the game."

WINNING STREAK

The draw ended Chelsea's nine-match winning streak since the start of the season, two short of Tottenham Hotspur's record, and Everton manager David Moyes was delighted with his team.

"We had to work hard against a great Chelsea side, probably the best in Europe at the moment," Moyes said.

"The crowd were fantastic and the players have raised the bar now, this is the level we have to reach for the rest of the season."

Newcastle and Sunderland were level at 2-2 after four goals in seven minutes shortly before halftime at St James' Park.

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Shola Ameobi twice put Newcastle in front with headers but Sunderland hit back through Liam Lawrence and Stephen Elliott.

The derby game was heading for a draw until Emre struck in the 63rd minute, curling the ball round the wall from 25 metres.

Elliott nearly equalised again six minutes from time when his deft lob struck the crossbar but Newcastle hung on to climb to 12th in the table. Sunderland stayed one place off the bottom, a point ahead of Everton.

Substitute Teddy Sheringham put West Ham ahead on 66 minutes at Upton Park and a Chris Riggott own goal doubled the hosts' lead before Franck Queudrue headed a late consolation for Middlesbrough.

West Ham climbed to ninth, two places below Bolton who also needed two late strikes to see off West Brom at the Reebok Stadium.

Japanese midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata scored his first goal for the club with an 81st-minute free kick and Kevin Nolan sealed victory in the final minute to leave West Brom down in 16th place.

Manchester United drew 1-1 with Tottenham on Saturday, Arsenal beat Manchester City 1-0, European champions Liverpool lost 2-0 at Fulham.

Charlton Athletic won 2-1 at Portsmouth to move second on goal difference, level on 19 points with Tottenham and promoted Wigan Athletic who beat Aston Villa 2-0 to continue their fine start to the season.
Ed Osmond
Source: REUTERS
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