Stuttering Chelsea claim last-ditch victory again
Saturday, 23 Dec 2006 20:33
Jose Mourinho knows his side will have to play better to defend their title again
Chelsea have maintained the pressure on title rivals Manchester United after an injury time winner from Arjen Robben gave them a 3-2 win away at Wigan.
The Dutchman had been on hand to provide assists for first-half goals from Frank Lampard and Salomon Kalou, but a brace from Emile Heskey had looked like giving the Latics a fully-deserved point until the third minute of time added on.
Last weekend the Blues emerged victorious in similar fashion after two late strikes gave them a 3-2 away victory against Everton, but this evening's performance was far less convincing.
Despite Chelsea crucially starting and ending the game the stronger team, Paul Jewell's men dominated large portions of the match and can feel rightly aggrieved at not emerging with at least a draw after initially coming back from two goals down.
England stalwart Lampard had given the away team the lead after neatly converting Robben's slide rule pass on 13 minutes.
As Wigan began to come back into the game Kalou took advantage of a rare start by driving into the hosts' half only to see his cross deflected out for a corner.
He then powered a header past Chris Kirkland from Robben's resulting corner with half an hour on the clock.
Wigan ended the first-half in a dangerous mood and were rewarded when Heskey scored his first of the night after rising highest to head home Josip Skoko's free-kick that he himself had won.
Lampard missed a good chance early after the restart to perhaps put the game beyond Wigan's reach, but from that point on a Chelsea rearguard bereft of injured skipper John Terry began to struggle, despite the best efforts of Ricardo Carvalho.
Wigan fans could have been forgiven for thinking on-form striker Didier Drogba was in fact playing upfront for them such was Heskey's zeal, and he twice set up Andreas Johansson only to see the Swede fluff his chances.
The former England international got his reward with 15 minutes remaining when Kevin Kilbane profited from some unconvincing defending to square the ball to him in the six-yard box, with Heskey lashing the ball past Hilario to claim his fifth of the season.
The prospect of dropping two points spurred Jose Mourinho into action and Jon Obi Mikel and Andriy Shevchenko came on in a double change.
Although the tide instantly shifted in Chelsea's favour they struggled to get the crucial breakthrough.
With three minutes remaining however Robben cut inside from the right-wing and his low-shot got the better of Kirkland with the keeper rooted to the spot.