Stoke City 1 - 1 Chelsea
Britannia Stadium
Att: 27,508
Stoke severely dented any slight title hopes Chelsea had with a 1-1 draw at the Brit. It could have been a lot worse for the Blues as it was Stoke who looked the more likely to take all 3 points and they will feel disappointed they didn’t.
Stoke stormed into the lead in the 8th minute after the inform Walters left Luiz for dead on the half way line kept the ball in down the touch line, raced into the area cut the ball back past Essein and then smashed the ball past Cech at his near post. A sure contender for goal of the season.
Chelsea cam straight back and Cole’s diving header was smartly saved by Begovic and then it was Malouda’s half volley went just wide. Chelsea’s response to going behind was good and they piled the pressure on the Stoke rear guard, an equaliser seemed inevitable.
But as the Blues pressed for an equaliser, it was England skipper Terry’s turn to be left for dead this time by Jones. Terry completely missed the ball with a wild swing and Jones muscled him off the ball but he got swarmed upon by blue shirts when he got into the area.
Chelsea came again and Lampards volley from 30 yards was pushed out by Begovic but only to the edge of 6 yard box where Anelka was but he was wrong footed and couldn’t get a shot away and Delap cleared. Stoke had held well against all the Chelsea pressure but they Sercombe to an equaliser in the 33rd minute when Anelka’s perfectly flighted ball picked out Drogba’s run across the area who got across Higginbotham to put a diving header past Begovic for 1-1.
It was Chelsea in the decadency playing with confidence and quality and they looked the more likely to take all 3 points. Stoke were glad to hear the whistle for half time.
After the break Stoke came out and nearly scored straight away when Etherington’s low cross was dummied by Walters and then Jones to let it run to Pennant but his shot was straight at Cech who saved with his feet. Chelsea came back straight away when Drogba’s shot across goal beat Begovic but not the post. Lampard then tested Begovic who’s’ save was less than convincing.
But Stoke grew into the second half and were much the better team and should have had all 3 points. Jones who was having one of his better recent games and looked lively, his strength and determination won Stoke a free kick on the edge of the area to the left. From the free kick Whelan rolled the ball to Wilson who smashed the ball goal wards and Cech superbly tipped the ball on the bar and out for a corner. From the resulting corner Huth’s header was tipped onto the bar. Chelsea had their backs to the wall.
Cech then struggled with an Etherington header and then it was Jones turn to head just wide from a Delap special. Pennant then came close again.
Chelsea relived some of the pressure by winning a corner which resulted in Drogba smashing a shot against the bar from close range. He was Chelsea’s danger man, Torres when then brought on for Anelka and he made little impact on the game.
Lampard had a claim for a penalty late on when Huth leant into his back as he bore down on goal, but referee Walton saw nothing wrong.
Fuller was introduced late on for Pennant and he instantly made an impact as Luiz was again left standing as Fuller brushed past him and raced down the line and crossed but there was too much on his cross and it went straight across to the other wing where Etherington was, Etherington then crossed to the far post where Fuller was but his header went straight across goal beating Cech but also the far post.
Stoke’s first point against Chelsea in the Premiership was more than deserved and in reflection they will be disappointed not to have taken all 3 points.
Ref: Peter Walton
Dave Capostagno