Chelsea through after late winner
January 09, 2006

Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen spared the blushes of Chelsea's fringe stars with a late winner after Huddersfield had given them an FA Cup scare at Stamford Bridge.

Gudjohnsen's strike nine minutes from time cruelly robbed the Coca-Cola League One outfit of another big pay day after they had stunned the Barclays Premiership champions with Gary Taylor-Fletcher's 74th-minute equaliser.

England Under-21s international Carlton Cole marked his first start of the season by putting the champions in front in the 12th minute - but Chelsea then conspired to waste a hatful of chances which had coach Jose Mourinho scowling in frustration.

Town, spurred on by Chelsea's inability to kill off the third-round tie, took the game to the Londoners in the second half and were looking good for a replay until Gudjohnsen struck to put Chelsea into the fourth round.


Chelsea were given a real fright in the second minute when Taylor-Fletcher forced Carlo Cudicini into the first save of the match.

Robert Huth, deputising for rested captain John Terry, failed to deal with a left-wing cross from Danny Adams - and Taylor-Fletcher's snap shot had the Italian goalkeeper diving to his right to prevent the Terriers taking a shock lead.

Four minutes later Town goalkeeper Phillip Senior was at his best to save a 25-yard effort from Lassana Diarra as Chelsea responded in typical fashion.

Two minutes later Shaun Wright-Phillips squandered a great chance to put the Londoners in front when a flowing move, engineered by the speed and creativity of Diarra, ended with the former Manchester City player lashing the ball high over the bar.

Diarra was at the heart of all Chelsea's best moves, demonstrating just why Mourinho rates him so highly.

It was no surprise when the champions took the lead through Cole.

The striker collected a low cross from Damien Duff - and after his initial effort was half-blocked by Martin McIntosh, the 22-year-old quickly recovered to head the loose ball beyond Senior.

In the 19th minute, Gudjohnsen wasted a chance to increase the lead when he failed to hit the target after being put through on goal by Cole.

Senior had to tip over a close-range header from Cole in the 31st minute, after Duff's cross had been headed back across the goal by Wright-Phillips.

Sixty seconds later, Wright-Phillips drilled a 25-yard effort wide of Senior's right-hand upright - and Cole then saw a lofted cross-shot held comfortably under the bar by the Town goalkeeper.

Huddersfield saw little of the ball in the opening half-hour, such was the dominance of a Chelsea side which surged forward at every opportunity.

The Town defence gave left-back Wayne Bridge time and space to get forward in the 36th minute, but the England international could not find the required finish with his 20-yard shot which flashed wide.

It was the turn of the woodwork to save the Terriers in the 38th minute when Duff's corner was met by the head of centre-half Huth, whose effort hit the bar on its way over.

Huddersfield enjoyed their longest spell of possession as the first half drew to a close, but Chelsea's speed on the counter-attack caused them persistent problems.

Only Chelsea's wayward finishing stopped killing off the tie in the first 45 minutes, and Wright-Phillips underlined their problem by driving wide of the upright when put through by Carlton Cole second before the half-time whistle.

Chelsea's failure to finish off the Terriers was beginning to give the visitors a glimmer of hope.

In the 56th minute, a 20-yard drive from captain Nathan Clarke fizzed past Cudicini's right-hand upright.

The champions were beginning to make the odd mistake in defence, and Huddersfield were awarded a free-kick a minute later which McIntosh sent just wide of the target.

In the 71st minute, Robben replaced Duff as Mourinho looked for the second goal.

But Chelsea paid the price for their woeful finishing in the 74th minute when Michael Collins fed Taylor-Fletcher, and the former Lincoln striker beat Cudicini with a low drive to put the minnows level.

But nine minutes from Gudjohnsen sank Town's hopes of earning themselves a replay when he finished off a great run and cross by Robben.

Source : ESPN

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