Frank Lampard finally got the record he has been craving for quite some time.
The Chelsea midfielder scored both the goals to go past Bobby Tambling for the all-time club record and seal an enthralling 2-1 win over Aston Villa in an English Premier League game which saw both sides reduced to ten men.
Christian Benteke was the hero for Villa in the first half, scoring the opening goal, but then turned villain, by getting himself sent off. The red card proved to be decisive, as Chelsea, already down to ten men themselves courtesy a red card for Ramires, roared back courtesy two brilliant goals from Lampard - his 202nd to tie the record and the 203rd to break it.
The three points sees Chelsea seal a place in the Champions League for next season, with the Blues now leading fourth-placed Arsenal by five points and Spurs, who are fifth, by six points.
In a fairly even first half, Villa came through smiling after the first 45 minutes, only for it to go pear-shaped in the second half.
Benteke opened the scoring in the 14th minute, first heading down a long pass from goalkeeper Brad Guzan, before taking the pass from Yacouba Sylla and leaving Gary Cahill for dead. The striker still had plenty to do, though, but fooled Petr Cech with the eyes before slotting in at the near post.
Chelsea had two golden opportunities to equalize. An intelligent chip over the top by who else but Juan Mata sent through Demba Ba. The striker brought down the ball really well, but was charged down brilliantly by Guzan.
Lampard then thought he had equalled the record, but his low freekick was well saved onto the post by Guzan.
John Terry nearly earned himself a red card, but referee Lee Mason only showed a yellow to the Chelsea skipper after the defender cynically brought down Sylla with the midfielder running through on goal.
Just before halftime, though, the Blues were indeed down to ten men, with Ramires given a second yellow card for a high foot on Gabriel Agbonlahor.
Rafa Benitez brought on David Luiz for Victor Moses to shore up the midfield, as Villa looked to make use of the man advantage in the second 45. The home side, though, just could not find that second goal, with Sylla and Joe Bennett coming close.
The game turned just before the hour mark, when Benteke -- who had earlier only got a yellow card for a rather dangerous elbow on Cesar Azpilicueta -- was shown a second yellow for a high challenge on Terry.
It took Chelsea only three minutes to draw level, and the goal was vintage Lampard. Eden Hazard played in the Chelsea legend just inside the box, with Lampard swirling and smashing a brilliant left-footed drive, which took a little nick off a Villa defender on its way past Guzan.
Chelsea looked like the more likely team to get the winning goal now, and thought they had indeed managed the winner soon after. Gary Cahill fired in a shot from ten yards out, with the ball deflecting off Nathan Baker on it way, before Sylla stopped it on the line. Demba Ba, though, seemed to prod the ball in just when Ashley Westwood cleared the ball off the line yet again. Replays suggested the ball might have been just over the line.
It did not matter, though, as the script ended up being written perfectly for Lampard to be Chelsea's rescuer yet again.
Hazard played a neat little one-two before squaring the ball for Lampard to tap home on 88 minutes and cue the wild celebrations.
