Chelsea 2 Fulham 0

Last updated : 21 September 2013 By Paul Lagan

Chelsea won for the first time in five matches to ease the pressure mounting on Jose Mourinho.

It was a match that the home side desperately needed but the performance was secondary to the 2-0 result.

Second half goals from Oscar and incredibly Mikel secured the vital three points that put Chelsea back to the top of the league, albeit possibly for 24 hours.

The game was poor and the first half in particular bereft of true quality.

Fulham were the first side to get a strike on goal, When ex-Blue Damian duff teed up another ex-blue Steve Sidewell. But the midfielders header went just over Cech's crossbar on six minutes.

Seconds later and Samuel Eto'o almost snatched a goal out of nothing as a deep Branislav Ivanovic cross was met by the nimble striker at the near post but he could only clip the ball over David Stockdale and the crossbar.

Cech spared Chelsea blushes on 13 minutes when Darren Bent cut through the

Chelsea defence from a wonderful Pajtim Kasami pass. The goalkeeper quickly reacted to Bent's shot from just inside the Chelsea penalty area, kicking it away to safety.

Chelsea claimed that Sascha Riether pushed Eden Hazard in the back in a quick Chelsea counter attack. TV replays suggested that the visitors were lucky that referee Andre Marriner failed to spot it.

A glancing header by Ramires was easily snaffled up by Stockdale on 19 minutes.

Eto'o let fly with a fine right-footed drive which, while gol-bound zipped off a defender for a corner with Stockdale well beaten.

Andre Schurrle changed wings with Eden Hazard on 27 minutes, suggesting that all was not going to plan tactically for Mourinho.

Hazard flashed a speculative volley from 20-yards just wide of Stockdale's goal with nine minutes of the half remaining. It came after a good spell of possession by the home side, forcing Fulham to retreat deep into their own half.
Fulham defended like Trojans with a minute to go to to hold off a swift Chelsea break with

Stockdale and Hangeland holding firm to deny Hazrad and then Ivanovic.
There were no changes at half-time to cheer the 41,608 crowd.

Chelsea started with a higher tempo.

Unlike last week at Everton, when the Blues failed to capitalise on this advantage, they did this time, and Oscar was on hand to slot the ball home from close range after Stockdale twice foiled efforts from Schurrle and Eto'o on 52 minutes.
Sidwell should have equalised a minute later but his header from a free-kick just inched over Cech's crossbar.

Jose Mourinho and Fulham boss Martin Jol decided to make the firsts of their changes on 65 minutes.

The Blues brought on Fernando Torres for Eto'o and Adel Taarabt on for Damian Duff.
Chelsea's confidence was on a high and they thought Fernando Amorebieta clipped Ramires.

Once again the Chelsea fans had cause for complaint.
Jol then brought on another former Chelsea kid, Buomesca Tue Na Bangna for Alexander Kacaniklic.

Frank Lampard entered the fray with 10 minutes of the game to go as both side tried to exert their dominance. Schurrle was the luckless man to make way.

Stockdale, not for the first time, denied an almost certain goal. This time Torres's glancing header was tipped over by the goalkeeper.

From the resultant corner kick by Oscar. Torres nodded the ball on and Mikel was on hand smash the ball home.

It was the Nigerian's first goal in 261 games for the Blues and with six minutes of the game to go a certain match-winner.

The crowd relaxed after that and savoured the remaining minutes of the game, something they haven't being able to do for the past month or so.

Up next for Chelsea is a visit to the County Ground and a Capital One Cip tie at Swindon Town on Tuesday.

 

Teams:
Chelsea Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, JT (c), Cole; Ramires, Mikel; Schurrle, Oscar, Hazard; Eto’o.
Subs:: Schwarzer, Azpilicueta, Essien, Lampard, De Bruyne, Willian, Torres.

Fulham: Stockdale, Hangeland, Sidwell, Kasami, Kacaniklic, Richardson, Duff, Riether, Parker, Amorebieta, Bent
Subs:Etheridge, Senderos, Karaounis, Taarabt, Rodallega, Zverotic, Tue Na Bangna

Referee Andre Marriner