Charlton Athletic 0 Chelsea 4

Last updated : 27 November 2004 By Footymad Previewer

Killer goals early in each half by Jose Mourinho's team showed their impressive credentials to take Arsenal's Premiership crown and with their London rivals not playing until Sunday they can sit back and enjoy their current domination at the top of the table.

Charlton, beaten only once at The Valley in the Premiership this season, got off to the worst possible start when they fell behind after just four minutes. Eidur Gudjohnsen put Damien Duff through and the winger galloped past Paul Konchesky and finished with a sublime left-foot flick past the goalkeeper.

The home side hardly had a kick in the first half hour of the game and in the opening 45 minutes produced just a couple of Shaun Bartlett headers.

Their best chance came from a Chelsea defender when Ricardo Carvalho headed Bartlett's shot against his own post and it was scrambled clear. A couple of minutes earlier, Carvalho had almost increased Chelsea's lead when he flashed a header over the bar.

Chelsea effectively won the game with a devastating spell of three goals in 12 minutes right after the break leaving the home side shell shocked and deflated.

Just a minute after the re-start England defender John Terry powerfully headed home Duff's corner and three minutes later he was on the spot again to put the ball home from close range after Charlton once again failed to clear a corner.

Charlton's faces were redder than their shirts after 58 minutes when Gudjohnsen, put through by Frank Lampard, clinically shot past the stranded Dean Kiely.

In desperation Charlton manager Alan Curbishley put on three substitutes together after 63 minutes as the home side tried to salvage some semblance of pride and try and score a consolation goal - highly unlikely against the Chelsea defence who have conceded just six goals all season in the Premiership.

As Chelsea relaxed a little from their relentless wave of attacks, which produced a series of corners, Charlton managed a couple of efforts, Hermann Hreidarsson heading over and Jason Euell bringing the first save from Petr Cech after 78 minutes.

Charlton beat Chelsea at The Valley last season, but the gulf between the two sides in this encounter was considerable and it says much for Chelsea, who have some of the best attacking players in the league, but that their centre-half could get two of their goals only highlighted their dominance.

Inconsistency has been Charlton's problem this season and their away form apart from a victory at Tottenham and a draw at Birmingham, has been dismal and it is only their home form which has kept them away from the relegation zone.

But this result will do nothing for their confidence and their supporters left the ground in their droves long before the end of this debacle.

Charlton's problems started when Chelsea controversially signed their young star midfield player Scott Parker for £10million last season.

The South London club have never really recovered from Parker's departure, but there was no sign of the England international at his old stamping ground.

Manager Mourinho had sensibly left him out of the squad because some of the Charlton supporters are still angry at his departure.

Man of the Match: Damien Duff – The Republic of Ireland winger tore the Addicks defence apart all afternoon and put his side on the way to a commanding victory with an early goal.