Column

Memory Lane - Chelsea (H)

Two Glamour Clubs and their Fluctuating Fortunes: Everton v Chelsea

Two Glamour Clubs and their Fluctuating Fortunes: Everton v Chelsea

Evertonia gave a brief outline of Chelsea’s formation and its early history in March 1961 the article stated: Chelsea had been formed in 1904 following a meeting in a Fulham Public House.

As Fulham FC had already taken up the most obvious name for the new West London club other names were offered up and discussed, two of which were Kensington and London FC but it was finally decided that Chelsea FC would be the name of the new club. The new club did have Blue as its primary shirt colour but not the Royal Blue which we are all familiar with today but a lighter shade of blue which matched the racing colours of its then President, the Earl of Cadogan.

The newly formed club applied to join the Southern League but that application was rejected which as it turned out was a blessing in disguise as a vacancy arose in the Second Division proper At a meeting held in April 1905 Chelsea were elected to the Second Division, Chelsea did well in their first campaign and finished in a creditable third place and the following season did even better and gained promotion to the top flight.

Chelsea first visited Goodison Park on April Fools’ Day 1908 and it was the Toffees who were on the receiving end of the joke as Chelsea left Goodison with all the points following their victory by three goals to nil as George Hilsdon bagged a hat-trick for the visitors.

Everton’s first home victory over Chelsea arrived the following season when the Blues’ triumphed by the odd goal in five, thanks to a hat-trick from Bertie Freeman.

Bertie had been signed from Woolwich Arsenal in 1908 and scored 67 goals in 94 appearances for the Blues before leaving to join Burnley in 1911 where he won his first major honour in the game when he scored the goal that defeated Liverpool in the 1913 FA Cup Final

In 1915 Chelsea reached the FA Cup Final following their defeat of Everton (2-0) in the Semi-Final replay after a goalless draw at Villa Park both teams had to change their strips due to the colour clash as Chelsea played in white while Everton played in Black and White stripes. The Final took place at Old Trafford but the Pensioners dreams of lifting the famous old trophy for the first time were thwarted by Sheffield United (3-0). The defeat for Chelsea was a devastating blow but they still had First Division games to fulfil and needed to earn enough points to overhaul Notts County who were the main threat to their top-flight survival.

During the week that Everton were preparing to complete their First Division fixtures and hoping to become First Division Champions, it was at Boundary Park that Everton were confirmed as English Champions when Liverpool beat Oldham Athletic (0-2) and as the Critic stated in the Evening Express on April 26 1915.

After many years of striving the famous name of Everton is to be inscribed once more on the Football League trophy. That the success of the club is well merited is acknowledged on all hands, and had it not been for misfortune in the matter of injuries. I firmly believe the “Blues” would have had something to do with the final on Saturday. Undoubtedly Everton in my opinion, have proved themselves the best combination of the year, and generally speaking they are very popular winners. Liverpool undoubtedly did them a good turn on Saturday and hastened the triumph of their friends and rivals and thus relieved the anxiety of players and directors over the week-end. I had the pleasure of being the first to inform the Everton directors and players of the fact that Liverpool had beaten Oldham Athletic and when I informed the chairman, Mr. W.R. Clayton and his co-directors, Messrs, Coffey, Kirkwood and Wright that they were actual champions; they did not conceal their satisfaction and delight.

A few minutes after I had imparted the welcome information to the guilding hands of the Everton club, I came across Jack Elliott and the Everton players in the vicinity of the Old Trafford ground. They were waiting for taxi-cabs to take them to town, and the popular “trainer” was rather irritated over the delay, and he was saying things about taxis in general. However, I got hold of his arm and asked him if he had heard anything about Liverpool. He said he had heard nothing at all. When I told him that Liverpool had beaten Oldham the taxi-cabs were forgotten and the players crowded round to make sure that they had won the championship.

They did not conceal their delight and Fern, Fleetwood and the others were highly pleased at the prospect of obtaining league medals. It was a pleasure to me to be the first on the scene with the good news and to tender congratulations which have since, no doubt, poured into the club offices.

Although the result for the newly crowned Champions was academic, for Chelsea it was a crucial fixture as they vied with Notts County for survival at the bottom of the table as the Liverpool Daily Post and Mercury reported:

Everton at Goodison Park last night completed their championship season, the result of the match with Chelsea being a draw of two goals each. Everton new championship honours –their last similar success was gained twenty-four years ago-are held now by a lead of one clear point from their nearest rivals, Oldham Athletic. The match would have been more interesting had not Liverpool beaten Oldham on Saturday, and thus guaranteed the honours to Everton on goal average. But Everton were keen upon making their triumph more emphatic than the thread of goal average offered, so that the honours might be full and complete. Everton had opportunity, too, to avenge their defeat by Chelsea in the cup semi-final at Aston. The team Sheffield conquered in the Cup final needed points to ensure their continued existence in the first division of the League, so that when the following teams turned out a capital winding up match was expected

The two teams received a hearty reception from a crowd of 10,000 spectators. The opening play was dull until Kirsopp and Chedgzoy provided Clennell with a header, which was perilously near. Chelsea's reply being somewhat similar, Ford centring brilliantly and the centre being near from a vile angle. Chelsea played in a manner directly opposite to Saturday's exhibition, and their shooting was sharp and true. In nine minutes Brittan scored. Croal and Brittan dovetailed finely, and the latter's first time shot had so sound a goalkeeper as fern well beaten. Everton were greatly surprised and set about their rivals. Kirsopp drove at the goalkeeper, and much more troublesome was a solo by Parker, whose effort was clipped by a trip. However, Clennell carried on the good work, and Molyneux dealt with a close range shot in marvellous manner. Chelsea were encouraged, and after Croal had ballooned the ball McNeal came along with a fine half-volley which was a shade too high. There was no holding Chelsea for some time, and when Thompson handled, Abrams drove in a great ball, Fern's catch being clean although he fell to save. For twenty minutes Everton were unable to frame an attack, and then the infrequently fed Chedgzoy centred perfectly. Clennell Again being close to an equaliser. Croal's glance-passes and his large amount of effect from the minimum of exertion delighted the crowd as did Everton's spirited and persistent work in the later stages of the first half. However, as half time Chelsea were value for their lead.

Everton set a fair pace on the resumption, and yet Chelsea's first advance was executed ably till the final stroke. Halse, shooting wide when McNeil provided him with a glorious chance. Everton played the close game, and this suited Logan and Abrams. Logan's game was similar to his exhibition of Saturday's his heading being brilliant. Abrams was a sixth forward and Croal and McNeil, the triangular work being neat and effective always anticipated his forward moves. Once Weller was left standing by Ford, whose centre was wilfully left alone by Brittain, McNeil screw shot passing wide. Matters were put on a level peg when Fleetwood scored a fine solo goal twenty minutes from the finish. Fleetwood tired of waiting for his forwards to test Molyneux, and threading his way through he beat the Chelsea goalkeeper with a fast cross shot-a popular goal and one hailed with rare enthusiast. Twelve minutes from the finish Ford gave Galt some yards in a sprint and when the winger turned inward he was brought down by Galt, Logan netting the penalty kick.

Only a minute passed, and then Everton equalised from a corner. Parker hooking the ball into the net in an amazing manner. The pace imparted so the ball was simply astounding, because the ball was high up when Parker got his boot to it. One of the best goals of the season, it deserved to be put on the same level as Parker's goal against Oldham. Everton went tenaciously for the lead, and Clennell was a trifle wide with a swift shot. It was a capital wind-up to the season, and at the last gasp might have ended with a goal, a McNeil drive being perilously near. Chelsea did not play a desperation game, trusting to their skill, to carry them through. They were remiss when near goal as on Saturday, still their half-backs were an improvement on Saturday. Abram being clever, if not of the outstanding brilliance of Logan. Everton's best were Fleetwood Thompson, Clennell, and Harrison. Everton: Fern; Thompson, Weller; Fleetwood, Galt, Grenyer; Chedgzoy, Kirsopp, Parker, Clennell, Harrison

While Everton were celebrating winning the League Title in 1915, Chelsea finished in the relegation places as they lost their last all-or-nothing fixture at Notts County (2-0) as the home team survived and retained their place in the top-flight. War suspended first class football but on its resumption in 1919-20, Chelsea benefitted from the First Division being extended to 22 clubs and thus they remained in the top flight.

By a strange quirk of the fixture-list the opening game of the 1919/20 season was held at Goodison Park that saw Chelsea as the visitors and they returned to London with maximum points from another exciting encounter as they won by the odd goal in five.

During the ensuing years the spoils of the games between the two sides at Goodison were fairly evenly split but following Chelsea’s win at Goodison Park in 1922, Everton went on an unbeaten run at Goodison against the Pensioners which lasted up until the outbreak of World War Two.

Everton won 9 out of 10 matches against Chelsea at Goodison during that period with Chelsea gaining only a single point from a goalless draw in April 1937 which ended a sequence of seven consecutive victories for the home team.

Among the highlights from an Everton perspective during that period were three thumping victories for the Toffees, two victories by five goals to one and an amazing seven goals to two triumph where Dixie Dean scored five times in November 1931, adding another couple of points to Everton’s ultimately successful assault on the First Division title.

Everton had gained promotion to the First Division having won the Second Division in 1931 and they had designs on winning the top prize as they were four points clear of second placed West Bromwich Albion – who had also gained promotion the previous season

The match-day programme of the day described Chelsea - who sat one point off the bottom of the table – as follows “They have not dazzled the football firmament with their brightness, as yet, but they may be depended upon to play a sporting game.”

The Monday morning report in the Liverpool Post and Mercury gave a flavour of the match:-

Chelsea’s visit provided Everton with another sweeping victory by seven goals to two. The last three home games have thus been won by scores of 9-3, 8-1, and 7-1, a total of 24 goals against 6 –a truly wonderful performance of consistent scoring. Saturday's game will long be remembered as a personal triumph for Dean, who scored the first five goals in a manner that confirmed the view of these who regard him as the most efficient centre-forward of the day. The first three were headed, and in this category Dean is certainly in a class by himself.

Everton's success was the result of brilliant work well conceived and effectively carried through. Rarely did a forward hold the ball long enough to lose it. They drew the defence passed at the correct moment, and always moved towards their objective. With long sweeping passes frequently had the Chelsea defence in a tangle. Chelsea's plan was in direct contrast to Everton's. They hold the ball, made pretty movements, and generally finished by losing or misusing it after making little headway. It was not practical football, although at times it was attractive and good to watch, but against a strong forceful side such as Everton it was a policy that brought its own defeat. Early on it looked as though the understanding between Jackson and Gallacher would provide the Everton defence with a difficult problem. They worked well together and with grafty moves were fairly effective, but once Thomson and Cresswell found their bearings, the Chelsea right wing was quickly subdued. Indeed, long before the end the side as a whole was demoralized and outplayed.

Dean scored three goals in the first fifteen minutes, and with the object of strengthening the defence O'Dowd became a third back, while the Everton forwards were often manoeuvred into an offside position, but in spite of these tactics Everton were irrepressible. For most of the game it was good, bright football with Everton the dominant side and Chelsea struggling hard to make their pattern weaving effective, but with little success. Sagar had not a great deal to do, but twice in the first half he turned the ball cleverly round the post from shots by Mills, and altogether gave a safe display. Sound and resourceful were Williams and Cresswell, although Chelsea forwards were so well held by the Everton halves that the backs had a fairly easy day.

Clark, Gee, and Thomson made a strong and formidable line always difficult to pass effective in linking up with their own forwards, Dean's heading was a feature, and he missed few chances, especially when the ball came across head-high, while Johnson stood out as a great worker in a line that moved smoothly in a definite way. The Chelsea defence –never strong –broke under the terrific strain, while the wing half back were a source of weakness. O'Dowd did some good work, but he had to shoulder a task that was too difficult, besides having concerned with Millington in a mistake that gave Stein a goal. The forwards backed support, and would have done better by adopting more direct and practical methods. No interval was taken, Dean's five goals were scored in 4, 8, 15,24 and 33 minutes, while Mills scored at 38, Johnson at 50, Stein at 60, and Jackson at 85 minutes.

Evertonians among the crowd of circa 33,000 people had the privilege of being in the stadium that day as the free-scoring Everton team showed their title credentials. Everton: Sagar; Williams, Cresswell; Clark, Gee, Thomson; Critchley, White, Dean, Johnson, Stein.

In the immediate post-war period, Everton had the better of it at Goodison with Chelsea only leaving Goodison with maximum points on two occasions, Everton winning three matches and the others ending in draws.

In 1950 there had been a strong possibility of an Everton v Chelsea FA Cup Final as both sides progressed to the Semi-Final stage, whilst Everton lost to their neighbours, Chelsea were leading by two goals to nil against Arsenal and set fair for their first Wembley appearance, but fate intervened and a “million to one goal” scored directly from a corner, shortly before half-time, gave the Gunners renewed hope of rescuing the game. An equaliser from Arsenal in the second-period ensured a replay which Arsenal (1-0) went on to win and gave them their place in the Final in which they beat Liverpool (2-0) at Wembley.

In 1955 Chelsea won the First Division Title for the first time a more than fitting way to celebrate their Golden Jubilee albeit with a post-war low tally of just 52 points from their 42 fixtures. Chelsea fans would have a long wait until they could celebrate becoming English Champions once again, in fact exactly fifty years.

When Chelsea left Goodison Park with maximum points in October 1956 little did they realise quite how long it would be until they would next taste victory at the home of Everton FC. Between that defeat by Chelsea in 1956 and March 1969, Everton won 7 matches with the other 3 games being drawn. The highlights for Everton included a six goals to one triumph in March 1960 and a four nil victory in March 1962 a match which saw Gordon West and Dennis Stevens make their Goodison Park debuts.

Chelsea beat Everton (1-2) in March 1969 at Goodison which brought to an end their mainly fruitless journey’s to Goodison. Ian Hutchinson (17') gave Chelsea the lead and Joe Royle (48’) levelled matters from the penalty spot just after the break but Alan Birchenall (58’) scored the winning goal to the chagrin of many Evertonians in the crowd of 42,190.

The following season Everton became the Champions and Chelsea finally added the FA Cup to their trophy cabinet by defeating Leeds United in the Final. Following a draw with Leeds United (2-2) at Wembley the replay took place at Old Trafford the scene of defeat for the Pensioners in 1915, but on this occasion the Chelsea Blues triumphed by two goals to one, although they still hadn’t managed to win a trophy at Wembley they were more than happy to take the old trophy back to Stamford Bridge.

During that triumphant season for both Everton and Chelsea, Everton had despatched Chelsea (5-2) at Goodison, a match remembered fondly by many Evertonians, but in the preceding weeks a spat between the BBC and Everton FC had arisen as the Everton board refused permission for the BBC to cover the match arguing that they had been on TV too often and that they didn’t feel that it best served the club by it being televised.

Everton Chairman Jack Sharp told the Daily Post’s Horace Yates “It was simply because the intention to apply had received previous publicity and while no game was actually named it was pretty obvious which it would be. If there had not been this premature publicity, presumably we would have agreed to it.” He added “Certainly Everton FC have no animosity against TV. Speaking personally I like to watch the Match of the Day programme as much as anyone.”

Despite the problems encountered with the BBC and an Icy Easter Saturday, Everton made a flying start to the game and Howard Kendall had the ball in the visitors net after just 14 seconds - the fastest goal by an Everton player in a first team game at Goodison.

Alan Ball (04’) quickly made it two nil to the Blues and Joe Royle (39’) added a third to give Everton a three goal advantage at half-time. The second period continued in a similar vein as Joe Royle (47’) grabbed his second and Alan Whittle (57’) made it five without reply. Chelsea hit back through Johnny Dempsey (65’) and Peter Osgood (89’) but the points were Everton’s and another two points had been won in the quest to be English First Division Champions.

The vast majority of the 58,337 had left Goodison Park confident that their team would be celebrating the title come season’s end and Chelsea went on to win the FA Cup and finished third in the League.
Everton: West; Wright, Brown, Kendall, Kenyon; Harvey; Whittle, Ball; Royle, Hurst, Morrissey. Sub Darcy
Chelsea: Hughes; Webb, Mulligan, Hollins, Dempsey, Hinton, Cooke, Hudson, Osgood, Hutchinson, Houseman.

Another early strike from Howard Kendall this time from the penalty spot after only two minutes was sufficient to win the game with Chelsea (1-0) on 17 April 1973 at Goodison Park it was the final time that Howard scored for his beloved Blues. The game was also notable for being the only win of Tommy Eggleston’s brief tenure in his role as Everton caretaker manager. Everton: West; Mclaughlin, Styles (Darracott); Hurst, Kenyon, Bernard; Jones, Kendall, Lyons, Harper, Connolly

The 1970s saw Everton triumph six times with Chelsea taking a point on two occasions from Goodison Park. Among Everton’s victories in that period Everton beat Chelsea (6-0) at Goodison and similar to Dixie Dean some fifty years earlier Bob Latchford had his own goals target to pursue when Chelsea were the opponents on 29 April 1978.

Unfortunately Everton did not have the Championship in the bag on this occasion, but they had been in contention for a large part of the season but had failed to keep up with the relentless form of the eventual Champions Nottingham Forest who incidentally had opened the campaign at Goodison Park with a three goals to one triumph.

Latchford was on 28 goals going into the match and he required another two to ensure he hit the 30 goal mark which would win him a prize of £10,000 and Bob recalls that it was some occasion “There was quite an atmosphere that day, considering there wasn’t much on the game itself, the pitch was dry and bobbly, but the goals soon started to flow.”

Most of the 39,504 people in attendance had come to witness Bob score the necessary goals, but even though Everton went three nil up the goals had come from Martin Dobson, Billy Wright and Neil Robinson with only twelve minutes of the game remaining Bob at long last got on the scoresheet to take his tally to 29 for the season with a perfectly placed header – which had the crowd in raptures.

Minutes later Mike Lyons scored Everton’s fifth and Mike recalls that “I tucked the ball into the bottom corner and turned away to celebrate, but because I had failed to knock the ball back to “Latch,” who was in a great position, everybody just stood and looked at me!” smiled Mike afterwards “It must be the only time I’ve scored at Goodison and felt sick about it!” but Mike need not have been so upset as Everton won a penalty and Bob Latchford despatched it past the Chelsea goalkeeper and thus scored his 30th league goal of the season and win the prize money from the national newspaper.

Bob said “It was a terrific moment, a fantastic way to end the season.” Everton finished the season as the League’s top scorers with 76 goals in 42 fixtures. The game also witnessed Mick Buckley’s final appearance for Everton, Neil Robinson’s one and only goal for the Blues and Billy Wright’s first ever goal for the Toffees Everton: Wood; Robinson, Pejic, Lyons, Wright; Buckley, King, Dobson; Latchford, Telfer, Thomas.

Later that year Chelsea came to Goodison on 11 November with former Toffees favourite Duncan McKenzie in their ranks and it was the goal that Duncan scored at the Gwladys Street End that is most remembered by those who were there to witness it, not for the quality of the goal itself but for the reaction of the home fans among the 38,346 in attendance, as Duncan’s name rang round the famous old stadium despite his scoring for the visitors.

Duncan’s goal had given Chelsea the lead after only nine minutes but Andy King (21’) equalised to take the teams level into the break. Early in the second period Tommy Langley (48’) put Chelsea back into the lead however, a brace of late goals from Martin Dobson (71’, 80’) earned Everton the points and another home win for the Toffees over the Pensioners (3-2). A result that pushed Chelsea towards the relegation places and ultimately they were indeed relegated at the end of that campaign. Everton: Wood; Todd, Pejic, Lyons, Wright; Ross, King, Dobson; Latchford, Walsh (Robinson), Thomas

Chelsea’s next League visit to Goodison Park did not arrive until 22 December 1984 when Everton who had enjoyed a highly successful season up until Grimsby had beaten the Blues (0-1) at Goodison Park in the League Cup in late November. That defeat was quickly followed by a reverse at Carrow Road where Norwich City had beaten Everton (4-2), two draws with Sheffield Wednesday (1-1) and QPR (0-0) had seen Everton’s assault on the title waver slightly prior to beating Nottingham Forest (5-0) at Goodison a victory that put the Evertonians in good heart for the Chelsea encounter as the Toffees began the day a point clear of Spurs at the top of the table.

David Speedie had been suspended and that meant that recent Chelsea arrival Gordon Davies took his place in the team, Davies (9’) stunned the Goodison faithful by giving the visitors the lead following an uncharacteristic mistake by John Bailey.

Kerry Dixon pounced on Bailey’s mistake and crossed for Gordon Davies to place his header beyond the reach of Neville Southall. It took the Toffees time to settle but they got themselves back on level terms ten minutes before the break when a deft cross from Andy Gray split the Chelsea backline and Paul Bracewell(35’) drilled a cross-shot into the net. However, Chelsea regained the lead just four minutes later as Mickey Thomas fed Gordon Davies (40’) and he fizzed a left-footer in off the disappointed Neville Southall.

The opening of the second-half saw a familiar story of Everton trying to put the visitors under pressure to find an equaliser, but being ever wary of Chelsea’s pace on the break. Chelsea stole a march when from one of those breaks Colin Pates (61’) gave the visitors a two goal advantage.

Pates had started the move by giving Pat Nevin the ball out on the left wing, a mazy run by Nevin ended with him crossing to the Chelsea centre-back Pates and he gratefully accepted the chance. Everton were given a way back into the game a few minutes later when following a tangle between Joe McLaughlin and Andy Gray the referee pointed to the spot and Graeme Sharp successfully converted the penalty.

However, Pat Nevin once again mesmerised the Everton defence and set up Gordon Davies (72’) for his hat-trick goal that restored the visitors two goal advantage, much to the disappointment of the home supporters and the sheer delight of the visiting fans.

Late into the match, the referee saw a handball by Joe McLaughlin in the penalty area and once again Sharp (88’) stepped up and converted to make the score (3-4), Kevin Sheedy in the dying embers of the game had a great chance to rescue a point for the Toffees but alas the chance was squandered.
Everton: Southall; Stevens, Bailey, Ratcliffe, Mountfield; Reid, Steven, Bracewell; Gray, Sharp, Sheedy

It seemed by the end of the game that Everton were dropping far too many points to be considered serious title challengers, and their main rivals Tottenham and Man United had taken advantage of the Blues defeat as the Toffees slipped to third place in the table two points adrift of Spurs. But this defeat turned out to be the last league defeat indeed the last defeat in any competition for Everton, until they succumbed to Nottingham Forest (1-0) at the City Ground on May 11 1985 having already been crowned Champions of England and they still had two cup finals to contest.

Everton’s last encounter with Chelsea in the Football League Division One was also their last ever fixture in that competition and it took place on 2 May 1992. Peter Beardsley (33’) gave Everton the lead via the Penalty spot and Peter Beagrie (69’) doubled Everton’s advantage midway through the second half. Chelsea’s substitute Eddie Newton (72’) scored for Chelsea and thus became the last player to score a Football League goal at Goodison Park in front of a watching 20,163 people. This game also marked the end of Pat Nevin’s career at Goodison Park as he left Everton to join Tranmere Rovers in the summer of 1992. Everton: Southall; Jackson, Unsworth, Harper (Jenkins), Ablett; Keown, Nevin, Beardsley; Barlow (Warzycha), Ward, Beagrie

Everton and Chelsea have faced each other at Goodison on 22 occasions during the Premier League era and the Toffees have won seven, drawn seven and lost on eight occasions, scoring 26 goals and conceding 25.

The first Premier League meeting at Goodison between the two sides took place on 22 November 1992 and Chelsea beat the Toffees (0-1) with a goal by Robert Fleck (45’) scored on the stroke of half-time.

Between that defeat in 1992 and Chelsea’s victory in December 2002, Everton have won three and drawn five of the encounters with just one defeat. However Chelsea began a run of eight games without defeat at Goodison between November 2001 and December 2008, which saw the Toffees take only three points out of a possible twenty-four while Chelsea took eighteen points back to Stamford Bridge during the same period.

This run of good form at Goodison Park for Chelsea coincided with the London Club’s arrival as serious players in the Premier League as they won back to back titles in 2005 and 2006 as well as securing the FA Cup (2007:2009) and League Cup (2005:2009) to add to their growing list of honours.

Everton since losing to Chelsea in the 2009 FA Cup Final at Wembley, saw their home record against the London Blues improve significantly as Everton have won four out of the last five Premier League encounters losing just the once in December 2012 when Chelsea beat Everton (1-2) a game that Everton manager David Moyes had viewed with some satisfaction as he said "We're not disappointed because we played really well and we've run the European champions really close but we didn't quite have enough in the end.”We had played well enough to get a second goal but had been unfortunate, having shots back off the woodwork. "I thought we were a bit unlucky. We tried to make what we had work, the best we could today and for long periods I thought we did."

Everton manager David Moyes told the BBC following Everton’s win over Chelsea (2-0) in February 2012 that "Recently we have done very well but today capped it. We played well, it was hard and Chelsea were good but we did what we do at Goodison. We are hard to beat. "It was a great start and a great start for Steven Pienaar coming back and scoring. Chelsea came into it and had one or two chances and we had to ride our luck a little bit but we kept at it got to half-time and got the second goal in the second half.

"We blocked and defended well and did all the things you hoped you would do. Great credit to the players, they are beginning to show what they are about. They are beginning to find the form they are capable of, and I think we can play much better and I am looking forward to that. "Denis was terrific today. He is an old-fashioned centre-forward with a bit of hustle and bustle about him and earned his goal. But the best part of it was tackle by Phil Neville. I was nearly cheering Phil's tackle as much as the goal.

The Last Time: Saturday, 14 September, 2013, 17:30 Everton 1-0 Chelsea report from BBC website By Phil McNulty Chief football writer at Goodison Park:

Roberto Martinez recorded his first Premier League win since his appointment as Everton manager with victory over Chelsea at Goodison Park. Steven Naismith's header in first-half injury time inflicted Jose Mourinho's first domestic defeat since returning to Chelsea - but this was a win of huge significance for Martinez.

He has seen Everton draw their first three league games since succeeding David Moyes but he will have been elated at how his players produced a combination of the passing football he demands, and the resilience that was part of their make-up before his arrival, to claim the three points. And in Gareth Barry, a loan signing from Manchester City on transfer deadline day, he had the game's outstanding performer - epitomised by a brilliant goal-saving tackle on Samuel Eto'o as Chelsea's new striker looked poised to profit from an error by Everton keeper Tim Howard on the half-hour.

Chelsea's best chances came in the first half but were wasted by Eto'o and Andre Schurrle. After the break they were resisted by an outstanding defensive performance by Everton, who maintained their concentration and strength to the final whistle while also threatening.

Mourinho looked increasingly agitated and frustrated as the clock ticked down - and when referee Howard Webb sounded the final whistle, Goodison Park rocked to a thunderous standing ovation for Martinez's team.

Eto'o was given an instant debut and should have marked it with an early goal when he showed clever movement to pull away onto Ramires' cross, only to direct it back across Howard and wide.

Everton responded but Petr Cech was able to deal comfortably with Nikica Jelavic's header from Naismith's cross. Barry's experience and composure was much in evidence on his Everton debut and he saved a certain goal, again for Eto'o, as the half-hour approached.
Howard's attempt to try and play his way out of trouble looked doomed from the start and appeared to be on its way to an inevitable conclusion when he passed the ball straight to Schurrle in the area. The German crossed for Eto'o, who looked to have the simplest of finishes until Barry's brilliant saving tackle deflected his shot over.

As Chelsea continued to make the better openings, Howard saved well from Ramires, and Branislav Ivanovic headed over before Schurrle wasted another good opportunity with an aimless finish. Just as Everton looked as though they were going to be grateful to reach half-time level, they landed a classic counter punch in stoppage time when Jelavic did well to head Leon Osman's cross in the direction of Naismith, who headed in from virtually on the line.

Chelsea moved up a gear immediately after the break but Schurrle was once again off target when he could only hit the side-netting as he attempted to lift his finish over Howard.

Mourinho made a double change after 56 minutes, sending on Oscar and Frank Lampard for Schurrle and Juan Mata. Martinez followed with a change of his own, sending on new-boy James McCarthy for Jelavic after 65 minutes and pushing Kevin Mirallas into the striker's role. The Belgian almost responded with a goal but Cech did well to turn his free-kick to safety and then block a powerful drive.

As Everton pushed for a second, David Luiz was perhaps fortunate to escape with only a yellow card when he pulled back Mirallas but the sheer distance he would have had to cover did not make it a clear goalscoring opportunity. Ross Barkley's inexperience showed on occasion but the outstanding young player showed relentless drive and, after he was again fouled, Leighton Baines clipped a free-kick on to the bar.

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (6)
Everton 24 Howard 03 Baines 06 Jagielka 15 Distin 23 Coleman 11 Mirallas (Deulofeu)14 Naismith (Stones ) 18 Barry 20 Barkley 21 Osman 07 Jelavic (McCarthy )
Chelsea 01 Cech 02 Ivanovic Booked 03 Cole (Torres) 04 Luiz Booked 26 Terry 07 Ramires 10 Mata (Oscar) 12 Mikel Booked 14 Schurrle (Lampard) 17 Hazard Booked 29 Eto'o
Ref: H Webb Att: 36,034

Everton versus Chelsea @ Goodison Park – Top Flight
PL W D L GF GA
75 37 22 16 153 92

NB: For those who are interested there is a wonderful site for Everton FC related match reports from the early days and more recent information. The site is dedicated to Everton FC and is called Everton Independent Research data [http://www.bluecorrespondent.co.nr]. When the guys who administer the site have completed their project, if that is ever possible, it will give Evertonians a wealth of information which will occupy those who are interested for hours, days and months if not longer. I wish I had have discovered their site sooner as it adds colour to the bare dry facts.

---

About these ads

---

, placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix' });