Chelsea began their recent run of success in the late 1990s after Ruud Gullit led them to the FA Cup in 1997. A year later under new manager Gianluca Vialla, more glory followed when they added the League Cup and Cup Winners' Cup to their trophy cabinet.

But their star-studded team of Gianfranco Zola, Brian Laudrup, Pierluigi Casiraghi and co. had a sticky start to the 1998/99 campaign. And it took a sensational 4-3 victory over Blackburn Rovers on 21st September to kick-start their season thanks to two late goals from super-sub Tore Andre Flo.

Blackburn were 3-2 up and on course for all three points with 11 minutes left before the Norwegian international striker made his amazing impact when he leapt off the bench to grab two goals in the final eight minutes.

He levelled the scores in the 82nd minute and converted the winning goal four minutes later to give his side their first win at Ewood Park for 22 years.

The London club got the scoring underway in the 15th minute through diminutive Italian striker Zola. Casiraghi was fouled just outside the penalty area and Zola despatched a curling free-kick over the Blackburn wall and into the back of the net.

After Callum Davidson cleared a Zola effort off the line, Blackburn were on level terms in the 22nd minute. Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf headed Davidson's long ball straight to Rovers hotshot Martin Dahlin, who squared to Chris Sutton inside the area. The striker turned Graeme Le Saux before cooly slotting into the bottom corner.

Six minutes into the second half, Chelsea regained their lead from the penalty spot when referee Peter Jones ruled that keeper Tim Flowers had brought down Zola and Leboef made no mistake with the spot-kick for 2-1.

Blackburn refused to give up and equalised again to make it 2-2 just before the hour mark through Sebastien Perez. Garry Flitcroft got his head to a throw-in on the left and when the ball dropped, knocked it into the dangerzone and an unmarked Perez swept the ball home.

Le Saux and Perez were sent off in the 67th minute after an altercation, and there was more drama to follow. Blackburn went 3-2 ahead when Dahlin was brought down in the box by Michael Duberry and Sutton put the penalty away straight down the middle to give his side the lead for the first time.

But on came supersub Flo to break their hearts in the 78th minute. He replaced Casiraghi and was only on the pitch for four minutes when he made it 3-3 as Albert Ferrer sent in the perfect cross and Flo was at full stretch to divert the ball past Flowers.

Four minutes later, victory was sealed when Flo latched onto Ferrer's long pass, beat the Rovers offside trap and rifled into the bottom right corner.

Chelsea manager Vialli gave glowing praise to super-subs Tore Andre Flo and Brian Laudrup after his side's late triumph. "All credit must go to Tore and Brian," he said. "I thought Zola and Casiraghi worked their socks off and did very well, but sometimes you have to change something.

"All of the forwards are great. When you talk about strikers, all of the managers in England would like to manage Chelsea. It's not difficult to make such good substitutions when you have as many great players on the bench."

Blackburn: Flowers, Davidson, Sherwood, Peacock, Henchoz, Flitcroft, Sutton, Wilcox (McKinlay 78), Dahlin, Perez, Dailly.

Subs Not Used: Kenna, Johnson, Dunn, Filan.

Sent Off: Perez (67).

Booked: Flitcroft, Perez, Sutton.

Goals: Sutton 22, Perez 57, Sutton 79 pen.

Chelsea: De Goey, Babayaro, Leboeuf, Desailly, Poyet, Casiraghi (Flo 78), Wise (Di Matteo 54), Duberry, Le Saux, Ferrer, Zola (Laudrup 70).

Subs Not Used: Lambourde, Hitchcock.

Sent Off: Le Saux (67).

Booked: Duberry, Leboeuf.

Goals: Zola 15, Leboeuf 51 pen, Flo 82, 86.

Att: 23,113

Ref: P Jones (Loughborough).