BBC SPORT | Football | Eng Prem | Villa treble downs Blues

The home side could have taken the lead as early as the fourth minute after some delightful trickery from Gianfranco Zola.

The Italian beat two defenders with nimble footwork before laying off the ball to Jesper Gronkjaer, whose cross-shot slid inches wide of goalkeeper Peter Enckelman's far post.

If that was close then in the 10th minute goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini demonstrated why he has been Chelsea's most consistent performer this season.

A superbly balanced run from Vassell opened up the Chelsea defence and when the cross came over, 6ft 7in Crouch's header was finger-tipped away by the flying Italian.

Cudicini's efforts drew huge applause from the home crowd, but minutes later there was little he could do when Crouch met an inswinging Steve Stone corner to give Villa a timely lead.

In the 26th minute, Cole should have levelled for Chelsea, but the precocious teenager showed why he will probably miss as many as he scores.

He stole into a superb central position, totally unmarked, but when the cross came over he snatched at the chance and his free header skimmed harmlessly wide.

The miss certainly summed up Chelsea's season - lots of promise but too often disappointment in the delivery.

Carlo Cudicini was again impressive for the home side

In a search for extra penetration Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri made a three-way substitution at half-time, bringing on Eidur Gudjohnsen for Gronkjaer, Sam Dalla Bona for Boudewijn Zenden and 17-year-old Robert Huth to make his debut in place of Graeme le Saux.

Again it was Villa who found the net first, however, when Vassell volleyed in to double their lead - no doubt to the delight of England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Gudjohnsen halved the deficit for Chelsea from the spot, when Mark Delaney brought down Dalla Bona.

Against the run of play, Villa should have extended their lead when full-back Mark Delaney found himself clear on goal and in acres of space.

But on the stroke of time Villa grabbed a deserved third when Dublin knocked the ball into the net, after Alan Wright's impressive shot had rebounded off the crossbar.

Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot, Terry, Gallas, Le Saux (Gudjohnsen 45), Gronkjaer (Huth 45), Petit, Lampard, Zenden (Dalla Bona 45), Zola, Cole.
Subs Not Used: de Goey, Stanic.

Aston Villa: Enckelman, Delaney, Staunton, Mellberg, Wright, Stone, Boateng, Hitzlsperger (Hendrie 53), Barry, Vassell (Dublin 84), Crouch (Angel 88).
Subs Not Used: Hadji, Henderson.
Booked: Hitzlsperger.

Attendance: 40,709

Referee: S Bennett (Kent).


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