Mon, Oct 25, 2004 - Page 19 News List

Chelsea closed in on Arsenal with win

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Chelsea captain John Terry, right, jumps for a header with Blackburn's Garry Flitcroft during their English Premier League match at Stamford Bridge in London on Saturday. Chelsea won 4-0 and is now two points behind league-leader Chelsea.

PHOTO: AFP

Eidur Gudjohnsen scored a hat-trick as Chelsea beat Blackburn 4-0 in the Premier League on Saturday to close the gap to league-leading Arsenal to two points.

The Iceland striker scored two goals in two minutes in the first half, then scored a 51st minute penalty to notch up his first professional hat-trick. Damien Duff scored the fourth in the 74th.

In driving rain at Stamford Bridge, Gudjohnsen scored his first in the 37th minute volleying a Joe Cole cross past Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel. A minute later, Gudjohnsen sent another right-footed shot past Friedel.

Gudjohnsen scored his third when he was adjudged to have been brought down in the penalty area by Craig Short and sent Friedel the wrong way on the resulting penalty kick.

Chelsea brought on summer signing Arjen Robben as a second-half substitute. It was the first competitive appearance for Chelsea by the Dutch striker after three months out with a knee injury.

For Everton, life without Wayne Rooney continues to go smoothly.

Everton had taken a 2-0 lead through Kevin Kilbane and Marcus Bent but Norwich rallied in the second half to level with goals from Leon McKenzie and Damien Francis.

Duncan Ferguson headed the 73rd-minute winner to leave Premier League newcomer Norwich as the only club without a win this season.

Everton sold England striker Rooney to Manchester United in the offseason, but manager David Moyes said that had brought the rest of the players closer together.

"I think we have a good team, they are well organized and have a desire to play for each other," Moyes said.

Crystal Palace jumped from last place to 15th with its win over fellow promoted club West Brom, with Andy Johnson scoring two and Fitz Hall adding another.

Tottenham held a minute's silence and wore black armbands during its match against Bolton in honor of former manager Bill Nicholson, who died Saturday aged 85. Nicholson managed Tottenham in its glory days of the 1960s and 1970s.

Bolton took the lead after 11 minutes, with Radhi Jaidi heading in a Gary Speed free-kick. Tottenham leveled five minutes before the break when Robbie Keane latched on to a Frederic Kanoute flick. Henrik Pedersen restored Bolton's lead in the 75th minute.

At Villa Park, Lee Hendrie and Noberto Solano scored against Fulham to give Aston Villa its first win in six matches.

Scott Severin scored in the 89th minute to give Aberdeen a 2-1 win over Motherwell and help secure third place in the Scottish Premier League.

Aberdeen has 19 points, only one point behind second-placed Rangers, after the win. League leader and defending champion Celtic has 20 points.

Kevin McBride gave Motherwell the lead with a 29th-minute penalty, while Derek Adams leveled for the Dons in the 67th.

"We go to play the champions on Wednesday and then Rangers at the weekend but we'll go into these matches with confidence," Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood said.

"To take 19 points from 10 games is a great return, especially when you consider where we came from. The next third is going to be very hard, but we've shown we are a good side and can keep it going."

Dunfermline won its first away match with a 2-1 victory over Dundee off a Iain Anderson header.

Liam Fox scored a late equalizer to give 10-man Inverness Caledonian Thistle a 2-2 draw with Kilmarnock. Stuart McCaffrey was sent off with 40 minutes still to play and Killie 2-1 ahead.

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