(updates after Fulham v Blackburn Rovers)
LONDON, April 12 - Brief match reports of English
premier league games on Monday:
ASTON VILLA 3 CHELSEA 2
Chelsea's title hopes all but disappeared after defeat for
the Champions League semi-finalists at Villa Park kept them
seven points behind leaders Arsenal.
Argentina striker Hernan Crespo netted the first and last
goals of the game but Villa were irrepressible in between.
Crespo tucked home the rebound after Adrian Mutu had hit the
post to put Chelsea ahead early on but England striker Darius
Vassell hauled Villa level from the penalty spot six minutes
before halftime.
Two goals in three minutes after the restart from Thomas
Hitzlsperger and Lee Hendrie put Villa in control and Crespo's
stoppage-time strike could not save Chelsea from a costly
defeat.
- - - -
FULHAM 3 BLACKBURN ROVERS 4
Blackburn slightly eased their relegation fears as they came
out on top in a seven-goal thriller at Loftus Road.
The visitors took the lead after 23 minutes through Andy
Cole but Fulham equalised within three minutes through Liberian
striker Collins John who struck again just before halftime.
Blackburn then scored twice in three minutes after the break
as midfielder Jonathon Douglas volleyed his first goal for the
club and Lorenzo Amoruso struck from 25 metres.
Fulham were not finished, though, as John turned provider to
set Luis Boa Morte free and the Portuguese forward ran half the
length of the field before firing low past Brad Friedel.
But Blackburn striker Jon Stead grabbed the winner in the
75th minute with a low drive.
- - - -
LIVERPOOL 0 CHARLTON ATHLETIC 1
Liverpool's quest for the Champions League qualification
place suffered a major blow as Charlton resurrected their own
hopes of European football with their first league victory at
Anfield for 50 years.
South Africa striker Shaun Bartlett powered home a 63rd
minute header from Claus Jensen's cross to net the only goal.
A fine save from point-blank range by Dean Kiely denied
Vladmir Smicer a late equaliser.
- - - -
MIDDLESBROUGH 3 SOUTHAMPTON 1
Boro made it four wins on the trot at the Riverside by
brushing Saints aside.
Steve McClaren's side were two-up at the break through
Brazilian Juninho and Slovakian Szilard Nemeth and a third goal
soon after the re-start from the impressive Massimo Maccarone
killed the game off.
James Beattie's 15th goal of the season on 70 minutes was
purely a consolation.
- - - -
PORTSMOUTH 3 BIRMINGHAM CITY 1
A third win in four matches for in-form Portsmouth moved
them three points above the relegation zone to keep alive their
hopes of escaping the drop.
Birmingham keeper Maik Taylor was sent-off just before
halftime for handling outside his area and from the resultant
free kick Dejan Stefanovic fired Pompey ahead.
Democratic Republic of Congo striker Lomana Lua Lua added a
second just after the hour and, after Stern John had pulled one
back, Aiyegbeni Yakubu sealed the points with a 73rd minute
penalty.
- - - -
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1 MANCHESTER CITY 1
Spurs ended a run of four successive defeats but a point at
White Hart Lane did little to ease City's relegation fears.
French striker Nicolas Anelka capitalised on slip from Gary
Doherty to put City ahead on 25 minutes but Jermain Defoe
restored parity seven minutes after the break after mesmerizing
City defender Sun Jihai.
- - - -
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 1 BOLTON WANDERERS 2
A last-gasp strike from Bolton's Kevin Davies put
bottom-side Wolves closer to an immediate return to the first
division.
Bolton led through Henrik Pedersen's 43rd minute header but
Henri Camara lashed in an instant equaliser.
The home side threw everything forward in search of a winner
late on but the ploy failed with Davies exposing gaps at the
back to net the winner with virtually the last kick of the game.
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