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English Premier League reports [Sun Sep 18th, 2005]
London (Reuters) - Match reports from Saturday's Premier League games:
CHARLTON ATHLETIC 0 CHELSEA 2
Chelsea hit the woodwork twice before finding the back of the net twice to make it six wins from six games and stay firmly in control of the Premier League.
Argentine striker Hernan Crespo hit the post after Ghana midfielder Michael Essien launched a 20th minute counter-attack and France defender William Gallas was denied by the woodwork just after the re-start when he latched on to a Frank Lampard free kick.
But the breakthrough arrived in the 55th minute when Essien laid the ball on for a Crespo header and Dutch winger Arjen Robben soon added their second with a superb curling shot.
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FULHAM 1 WEST HAM UNITED 2
Striker Marlon Harewood was West Ham's matchwinner for the second time in a week after his hat-trick in Monday's 4-0 rout of Aston Villa.
Having had a first-half strike ruled offside, he fired home after lifting the ball over Fulham defender Zat Knight and then saw another shot fly in off keeper Tony Warner via the post and go down as an own goal. Luis Boa Morte pulled one back for Fulham in the 66th minute but the damage was already done.
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PORTSMOUTH 1 BIRMINGHAM CITY 1
Ten-man Birmingham ground out a point at Fratton Park after early goals were followed by Nicky Butt being red-carded just before the break for kicking out at Pompey striker Dario Silva.
Sloppy defending by City allowed striker Lomana LuaLua to steer the hosts into a fourth-minute lead from a Laurent Robert corner. But Pompey were no better at the back two minutes later, when Czech midfielder Jiri Jarosik, on loan from Chelsea, equalised following a Jermaine Pennant free kick.
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SUNDERLAND 1 WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1
After five successive defeats on their return to the top flight, Sunderland's hopes of victory were cruelly dashed by Zoltan Gera's equaliser at the very end.
Defender Gary Breen headed them into a seventh minute lead straight from a corner and Mick McCarthy's side looked set for a deserved win before West Brom's Hungarian midfielder nodded home from a corner in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
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ASTON VILLA 1 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1
Spurs looked likely to pay the price for a stray pass and a missed penalty at Villa Park before Ireland striker Robbie Keane came on to score a 78th minute equaliser.
A ragged pass by midfielder Jermaine Jenas was pounced on by Czech striker Milan Baros and his breakaway ended with a rasping shot by James Milner past keeper Paul Robinson in the fourth minute. Jermain Defoe then missed a spot kick and both sides hit the bar after the break -- through Liam Ridgewell and Defoe -- before Keane's superb dribble and shot through a packed area.
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Playing Sunday (all times GMT): BLACKBURN ROVERS v NEWCASTLE UNITED (1300), LIVERPOOL v MANCHESTER UNITED (1100), MANCHESTER CITY v BOLTON WANDERERS (1500), WIGAN ATHLETIC v MIDDLESBOROUGH (1400);
Playing Monday: ARSENAL v EVERTON (1900)
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