A Duncan Ferguson header and a late own goal by Chelsea's Michael Duberry was enough to earn Everton a 3-1 vicory in a tense game at Goodison Park.

The home side did not have everything their own way and Chelsea -- apart from an appalling performance from their keeper, Ed de Goey -- played well enough to dominate a great deal of the game.

The Everton skipper Gary Speed had to haul his side level after Tore Andre Flo had given high-flying Chelsea the lead.

Flo fired Chelsea ahead after 37 minutes but Speed, the subject of three recent bids from Newcastle, put all the transfer speculation behind him to fire in the equaliser 60 seconds later.

The Chelsea skipper, Steve Clarke, set up the opener when he picked out Flo with an inviting cross. The Norwegian's header was blocked but he recovered quickly to bring the ball under control and steer a shot wide of Thomas Myhre.

Everton's reply came through Nick Barmby. He fired over a right wing cross that picked out Mickael Madar at the far post. His downward header was blocked by Frank Sinclair but Speed reacted quickly to toe-poke the loose ball past Ed de Goey from the narrowest of angles.

Mark Hughes got a kick in the face from Slaven Bilic, and then minutes later rose at the far post to plant a header over the bar.

Player-manager Rudd Gullit played some of Chelsea's best football

Everton were playing with more width in the second period, and after 58 minutes they almost took the lead.

Barmby's free-kick caused chaos, with Ferguson getting above De Goey. The ball reached Madar on the far post and his shot was cleared off the line by Frank Leboeuf.

From that corner, Madar headed inches over the bar from six yards out.

Everton's pressure paid off from the another dead ball situation, Barmby curled in a corner from the right and Ferguson crashed home a header.

Everton were rampant now, and De Goey flapped at every high-ball into the box giving his defence little reason for confidence.

Everton went 3-1 up after 83 minutes when Michael Duberry scored an own goal after a Gareth Farrelly through ball had found Ferguson.

The Scot's poor control just angled the ball into the Chelsea defender's path, and at full stretch he unwittingly stabbed it past De Goey.

Chelsea, for all their array of foreign stars, advertising contracts and undoubted quality, could learn from Everton. The Merseyside team pressed hard, never gave up on a 50-50 ball and showed the value of pressure on a less-than-competant goalkeeper.
 

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