But Chelsea responded with an even closer effort of their own, Drogba skirting around Neville to the byline and

pulling a cross back for Anelka to flick inches wide of the post.

Two minutes before the interval Everton broke superbly and carved out their clearest opening of the half. Cahill

invited Donovan to sprint down the right and the American raced deep into Chelsea territory before clipping a cross

to the unmarked Saha. It was a difficult ball for the Frenchman to control, but he got his shot off only for Cech to

block with his chest.

On the stroke of half-time the same three players were involved again, this time to carve out an even better

opportunity - and once again to allow Cech to show off his goalkeeping prowess.

Donovan was tripped on the edge of the penalty area by Ricardo Carvalho and Alan Wiley thought long and hard before

pointing to the spot.

There were no Chelsea complaints.

Louis Saha, confidence soaring from his earlier header, stepped up to take the penalty but it wasn't a convincing

effort.

Struck to Cech's left, midway between the keeper and the post and at a comfortable height, too, the giant Czech

only had dive the correct way to save. He did.

If the miss had deflated the Blues during the half-time break it didn't show.

They started the second period positively and Saha almost made up for his miss when he chested down inside the

penalty area and drilled a fierce shot into the turf and narrowly wide.

Everton were a team transformed and the attacked their wannabe table-topping visitors with real purpose.

Bilyaletdinov was denied by a superb Ivanovic interception as he tried to switch feet to shoot from just inside the

penalty area then Arteta danced to the byline but pulled the ball back inches behind Saha.

A clearly concerned Carlo Ancelotti made a couple of switches. First Michael Ballack came on for Asley Cole to try

and regain some measure of midfield control, then Salomon Kalou replaced Nicolas Anelka in a straightforward

striking swap.

David Moyes swapped the tiring but nevertheless impressive Mikel Arteta with Jack Rodwell, and it was the Everton

switch which paid off.

There appeared little initial danger when Sylvain Distin launched a huge clearance downfield from the left back

berth, but Saha leaped in front of Terry to chest the ball into his path then drilled a magnificent left-footed

volley past Cech.

Chelsea were stung and Drogba looped a header against the bar then Frank Lampard saw a daisycutter diverted behind by Howard's outstretched right hand.

There were howls of outrage when the fourth official indicated that Alan Wiley had found five minutes of added time for Chelsea to try and find an equaliser, but it was a nerveless period for the Blues who saw out the match to register a thoroughly deserved victory.

EVERTON: Howard, Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Donovan, Arteta (Rodwell 73), Osman, Bilyaletdinov (Gosling 85), Cahill, Saha (Senderos 95). Unused substitutes: Nash, Vaughan, Yakubu, Coleman.

CHELSEA: Cech, Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry, Cole (Ballack 56), Malouda, Lampard, Mikel (Sturridge 75), Zhirkov,

Drogba, Anelka (Kalou 66). Unused substitutes: Hilario, Ferreira, Matic, Bruma.

Referee: Alan Wiley.

Bookings: Mikel (handball); Donovan (only Alan Wiley knows what for), Malouda (foul).