Hiddink's men win again

Clare Lovell

London - An injury-time header from Frank Lampard earned Chelsea a 2-1 win over Wigan on Saturday, maintaining coach Guus Hiddink's 100% record in English football.

Lampard rose to meet a Michael Ballack flick to secure all three points as Chelsea scrambled to keep alive their hopes of catching Manchester United at the top of the Premier League. Olivier Kapo's 82nd-minute equaliser had canceled out Chelsea captain John Terry's spectacular first-half goal.

The win propelled the London side to second in the Premier League, seven points behind Manchester United, but ahead of Liverpool on goal difference after the Merseysiders lost 2-0 at Middlesbrough.

Terry had put Chelsea ahead in the 25th minute of a fast-paced encounter when he rose on the edge of the area to volley the ball past Chris Kirkland after Wigan's defence had cleared a Lampard cross off the line.

Chilly afternoon

The 28-year-old England captain's 35th strike broke Chelsea's record for goals scored by a defender, surpassing the total of Peter Sillett set in the 1950s.

Wigan may have drawn their last four matches, but manager Steve Bruce's team had the best early chances on a chilly afternoon in west London.

In the 18th minute, a mistake by Chelsea's Brazilian centre back Alex freed midfielder Paul Scharner to run free on goal, but his shot was tipped around the post by a diving Petr Cech. Two minutes later full back Ashley Cole cleared a Titus Bramble header off the line and in the melee that followed Cech stopped a shot from Wigan's recent signing Charles N'Zogbia.

Chelsea replied with two chances at the other end that forced Chris Kirkland into making saves from striker Didier Drogba and John Obi Mikel.

Several chances

After Chelsea's 1-0 midweek win over Juventus in the Champions League, Hiddink, who took over as temporary coach earlier this month following the sacking of Luiz Felipe Scolari, complained that Chelsea had run out of steam. But Saturday's encounter was played at a fast pace.

Kirkland and Cech were both called on to keep out several chances with Scharner lively for Wigan and Drogba busy for Chelsea in the second half. While Chelsea pressed for a second goal, Wigan earned their equaliser on the counter-attack.

French midfielder Kapo outran Alex to push the ball past Cech after Maynor Figueroa made a blazing run down the left to cross low into the box.

That set up a frenzied last eight minutes culminating in Lampard's last-gasp winner.