FA Cup Final: Chelsea 2 Everton 1

May 31 2009 Gavin Berry

DEJECTED Davie Moyes reckons his side's stunning start only served to fire up Chelsea further as the Everton boss suffered against the Londoners again.

Louis Saha set a new record for the final with a goal in 25 seconds but Chelsea roared back and Guus Hiddink's men went on to run out worthy winners.

Didier Drogba's equaliser - his fifth consecutive cup final goal for the Blues - and Frank Lampard's winner means Moyes has gone 21 games against Chelsea without a win.

Breaking the duck yesterday, though, would have meant more than any as Moyes looked to secure Everton's first trophy in 14 years and become the first Scot outside of Sir Alex Ferguson to win the FA Cup since George Graham with Arsenal in 1993.

Moyes said: "It was a great start for us, in fact it probably inspired Chelsea more as they settled far better after that. In the end we found ourselves chasing the ball a lot in the first half.

"I said last year the target was the semi-final and we got there and Chelsea beat us then. I and Chelsea have beaten us again. In getting to the final you knock out Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa on the way there.

"We haven't been able to knock over Chelsea but hopefully the next step is next year - winning a cup.

"My players have performed so well throughout the season and in the FA Cup but we found Chelsea a hurdle too much. They were the better team and used the conditions better than us.

"I can't fault the players. They've been excellent."

While Moyes was left gutted the win allowed Hiddink to end his short reign at Chelsea with a silver lining before going back to focus on Russia.

The 62-year-old wasn't even planning on hanging around for the party as he prepared to catch a flight out of London soon after full-time to ready his side for a World Cup qualifier.

Wembley on FA Cup final day was a world away from Drumchapel Amateurs where Moyes' dad David Snr managed and offered early inspiration to the Goodison Park boss.

But the 46-year-old was well worth his place at the showpiece of the season after yet another impressive campaign in which he was named Manager of the Year.

Going on to lift the trophy was always another matter and it proved a task too far despite seeing Saha bulge the net almost immediately after kick-off.

The former Manchester United man gave the underdogs a dream start when he lashed home after John Obi Mikel's weak header out from Steven Pienaar's cross.

And the strike put the Frenchman into the record books, beating Roberto Di Matteo to the fastest goal in an FA Cup final - 18 seconds faster than the Italian's 43 seconds strike in the 1997 final against Middlesbrough.

The Londoners were stunned but set about getting back on level terms and in 20 minutes they got their reward thanks to Drogba's 14th goal of the season.

Tony Hibbert allowed Florent Malouda too much time and he delivered a great cross for the Ivory Coast ace who stole in front of Joleon Lescott to head home.

Amazingly, Drogba's goal meant it was the first time in 10 FA Cup Finals at Wembley that both sides had managed to score.

Hibbert struggled throughout at right-back - an early booking perhaps unnerving him - and he was beaten again in the build-up to a chance that should have led to Chelsea's second goal.

Ashley Cole skipped past the 28-year-old before cutting in to the penalty box but with Joseph Yobo struggling to get back, the England defender somehow blasted his effort well off target.

It was a great chance missed and would have added to Cole's achievement of becoming the first player in over a century to pick up five FA Cup winners' medals.

Moyes would have been happy to get his players in at half-time and it was no surprise Hibbert was switched for Lars Jacobsen.

Chelsea still looked the most likely after the break and Nicolas Anelka's lob almost dropped in.

Everton attacks were rare yet after 66 minutes they had a golden opportunity when Leighton Baines picked out Saha but the Frenchman headed over.

Soon after the Londoners struck a crucial second goal.

Sub Michael Ballack passed to Anelka who fed Lampard and he rifled a superb left-foot shot from 20 yards past Howard.

The midfielder celebrated with a jig round the corner flag - just as his father Frank Snr had when he scored for West Ham against the Toffees in the 1980 FA Cup semi-final.

Chelsea should have had a third when Malouda's rocket cannoned off the underside of the bar and over the line but the goal wasn't given..