Blackburn Rovers - 2 Chelsea - 3 After withstanding a week of petty character assassination, Scott Parker needed proof he was well advised to leave Charlton for Chelsea. He found it immediately yesterday as the burgeoning presence of his new team-mate Frank Lampard kept their Premiership challenge alive.

While Parker endured an uncertain debut, Lampard scored both the first-half goals that set Chelsea on course for their eighth away victory in the Premiership and kept them within four points of Manchester United in second. Chelsea remain careless with their easily won riches and they allowed Blackburn to equalise after 87 minutes through their substitute Paul Gallagher.

Chelsea reclaimed the lead again within seconds. They forced a corner, which Adrian Mutu overhit, but John Terry kept the ball alive, finding Glen Johnson just outside the area. By the time Johnson controlled the ball at the second attempt, Blackburn's defence had evaporated; the finish was emphatic.

Blackburn are likely to sign Huddersfield striker Jonathan Stead today.

Chelsea's plethora of central midfield players, and the injury to Damien Duff, meant Parker lined up on the left of midfield. Parker, used to a central position, was dragged infield. That left Brett Emerton space to drive in a right-wing cross and, although Carlo Cudicini's save from Jonathan Douglas initially spared Chelsea, they never reorganised. The next cross, from Michael Gray on the left, was headed back by Markus Babbel and Garry Flitcroft hooked in a volley.

Until Lampard's equaliser, Blackburn had 25 minutes of dominance. The source was Emerton, unfettered on the right, as Parker failed to ease the defensive problems of Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge. Cudicini might also have gifted Blackburn a second goal, as he drove the ball into the face of Dwight Yorke, and was fortunate it did not rebound into the net.

Parker's confidence was returning by the time Lampard equalised. Mutu did well to find Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink on the right and he played in Lampard whose controlled shot went in off Brad Friedel's right-hand post.

Rovers, who now have only one win in their last nine, bled resolve. Claudio Ranieri switched Parker to the right, where he immediately looked frisky. At half-time, he was switched back again.

Emmanuel Petit intercepted Tugay Kerimoglu's pass to set up Chelsea's second goal, Lampard staying onside to score his 10th of the season. Only Friedel's brilliant claw-away of Lampard's far-post header, eight minutes from time, denied him a hat-trick. In an unfocused Chelsea second-half display, Mutu had looked their likeliest provider, but Gallagher, a livewire Blackburn substitute, equalised at the far post. A minute later Chelsea had their victory. ...