Chelsea survive 'Boro scare

Zola's header was his 11th goal of the season

Chelsea 2-1 Middlesbrough

Chelsea survived a scare at Stamford Bridge before surging away to record their 11th home victory of the season.

Italian playmaker Gianfranco Zola put the home side ahead but they were rightly punished for complacency when Dean Windass, on his debut, equalised.

Then, with a valuable point in sight disaster struck for 'Boro when Noel Whelen's poor back pass presented substitute Eidur Gudjohnsen an easy opportunity to grab the winner.

  Match action

6 mins: Boro are forced to reorganise as Colin Cooper is replaced by Keith O'Neill

21 mins: O'Neill makes a crucial challenge to deny Dalla Bona

26 mins: Windass's far post header dribbles wide

29 mins: Boksic blasts into the side netting

35 mins: Zola puts Chelsea ahead with his 11th of the season. 1-0

38 mins: Stanic fires wide from eight yards

40 mins: Hasselbaink picks his spot but its the wrong side of the post

60 mins: Windass levels the scores. 1-1

67 mins: Gudjohnsen chips Chelsea back in front. 2-1

It was 'Boro's first away defeat since Venables' arrival at the Riverside Stadium and they remain only one place above the relegation zone.

For much of the match, Stamford Bridge had the air of an Oscars party where the guests realise the real place to be is somewhere else.

It took Middlesbrough's goal to shake up the Blues, who looked decidedly uninterested now their chance of a place in Europe is all but gone.

I want to dedicate my goal to David Rocastle because he was a really good man

  Gianfranco Zola

In an uninspiring first half, Boro's shots on goal tally was precisely zero while Chelsea managed only one - Zola's headed goal.

It came after good work down the left between Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Celestine Babayaro.

His cross was perfectly flighted for the inrushing Zola to tuck away at the nearpost.

Zola scored when Windass was off the pitch receiving treatment

Chelsea's half-hearted manner persisted after the interval, which saw Gudjohnsen arrive to take the place of the rangy Jesper Gronkjaer.

And they were rightly punished when Alen Boksic, who earlier wasted a glorious opportunity from six yards, stuck at it down the right flank.

His persistence paid off and the ball broke back to Christian Karembeu whose first time cross exposed the sleepy Chelsea defence.

Windass scored with a plump far-post header but there was at least one other unmarked player who could have done.

This time Chelsea did manage to focus on the task in hand and ended the game firmly in command, spurning chances to go three or four up.

Steve Vickers muscles his way past Celestine Babayaro

Mark Schwarzer did well to tip Sam Dalla Bona's fiercely driven shot over the bar and Stanic seemed certain to score at the far post but his breakneck pace saw him put it wide.

The Boro back four were having trouble keeping track of Gudjohnsen and in the 67th minute he punished them.

We have never wavered in our optimism and in our desire to do as well as we can, but we can't rely on other people

  Middlesbrough head coach Terry Venables

Whelan's poor backpass failed to reach Schwarzer and the Icelander nipped in to steal the winner with a beautifully crafted chip over the keeper's diving body.

John Terry made a crucial last-ditch challenge to deny Whelan to leave Boro facing another end of season sweat.

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Teams:
Chelsea: Cudicini, Babayaro, Desailly, Terry, Melchiot, Wise, Stanic, Dalla Bona, Gronkjaer, Zola, Hasselbaink. Subs: de Goey, Jokanovic, Le Saux, Gudjohnsen, Harley.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Vickers, Festa, Cooper, Gavin, Karembeu, Mustoe, Okon, Boksic, Windass, Whelan. Subs: Gordon, O'Neill, Ricard, Marinelli, Crossley.

Referee: P Jones (Loughborough)