Arjen Robben's joy turned to despair as he was sent off within seconds of firing Chelsea to a hard-fought victory at Sunderland and a 16-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premiership.

The Dutchman was dismissed after celebrating his 69th-minute winner with the travelling fans behind the goal as the Londoners came from behind to claim a 10th successive league win.

By leaving the pitch and hurdling the advertising hoardings, Robben was adjudged by referee Chris Foy to have committed a second bookable offence.

Liam Lawrence had blasted the home side into an unlikely 12th-minute lead.

Sunderland started the game 52 points behind their opponents so there was little surprise when Hernan Crespo poached a 28th-minute equaliser to set the stage for Chelsea to gradually wear down Mick McCarthy's battling troops.

Yet again, after Robben's winner, Sunderland were left with nothing to show for a creditable display, although they did leave the pitch to a standing ovation from supporters impressed by their effort.

It might have been a week late for a giant-killing at the Stadium of Light, but having been quoted at unprecedented odds of 16-1 to win a two-horse race, Sunderland set about a seemingly impossible task with some relish.

McCarthy had his tongue firmly in his cheek last Sunday evening when, after his side's 3-0 FA Cup third-round victory over non-league Northwich Victoria, he sent out a 'Bring on Chelsea' message.

However, his players responded to not only make life difficult for the runaway Premiership leaders, but at times, make them look distinctly ordinary.

Sunderland surprised probably their own fans by taking the lead when Julio Arca's cross caught John Terry marginally out of position.

Although Terry got a head to the ball, it dropped perfectly for Lawrence to drill a low shot past Petr Cech.

Jose Mourinho's expensively assembled team dominated possession, but they were rarely able to break down a well-organised and committed Sunderland side.

The Black Cats might even have added to their tally in injury-time when Anthony Le Tallec headed straight at Cech from another Arca cross.

However, by that point, the Londoners were back on level terms, although in controversial circumstances.

Frank Lampard played William Gallas into space down the right and he sold Arca an outrageous dummy to give himself time and space to cross.

The Frenchman sent the ball beyond the far post, where Joe Cole - with the home fans behind the goal claiming the ball had gone out of play - headed back for Crespo to head home the equaliser.

The goal settled Chelsea, but still Sunderland remained in the game.

The visitors looked more threatening after the resumption. Robben played Crespo into space down the left and he cut inside before deliberately placing a side-footed effort wide of Davis, who just got his fingertips to the ball at full stretch.

Dutchman Robben then tested Davis with a deflected effort five minutes later after Ricardo Carvalho had robbed Jon Stead on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area.

But as the half progressed, Sunderland came under intense pressure as goalkeeper Kelvin Davis became the central character.

The former Ipswich player, who arrived at the Stadium of Light in a £1.25million summer switch, has not enjoyed the best of fortunes since and was taken out of the firing line by McCarthy following a series of sub-standard displays before Christmas.

However, he kept his side in it as Chelsea turned the screw, saving superbly from both Lampard and Robben in quick succession as they took aim from distance.

Mourinho withdrew Joe Cole and sent on Damien Duff after 63 minutes to present the home defence with a fresh challenge, and as McCarthy prepared to respond by replacing striker Le Tallec with defensive midfielder Christian Bassila, Sunderland fell behind.

Robben cut inside from the right to fire towards goal, with Dean Whitehead's unwitting deflection giving Davis no chance.

But the Dutchman's joy was short-lived as Foy booked him for celebrating with the travelling fans behind the goal and, having already cautioned him before the break, ordered him off.

Le Tallec tested Cech with a 76th-minute header and Eidur Gudjohnsen kept Davis on his toes with a long-range strike seconds later as the game approached a tense conclusion.

McCarthy sent on strikers Daryl Murphy and Andy Gray with seven minutes remaining, but despite two concerted - if ambitious - penalty appeals, it was Chelsea substitute Carlton Cole and Lampard who went closest in the dying minutes.

Teams:

Sunderland: Davis, Hoyte, Breen, Caldwell, Danny Collins, Lawrence, Whitehead, Miller, Arca, Le Tallec (Gray 81), Stead (Murphy 81).

Subs Not Used: Nosworthy, Alnwick, Bassila.

Booked: Stead.

Goals: Lawrence 12.

Chelsea: Cech, Gallas, Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Del Horno, Gudjohnsen (Huth 83), Makelele, Lampard, Joe Cole (Duff 63), Crespo (Carlton Cole 72), Robben.

Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Diarra.

Sent Off: Robben (70).

Booked: Robben, Carlton Cole.

Goals: Crespo 28, Robben 69.

Att: 32,420

Ref: C Foy (Merseyside).