It was a night of gripping drama at the Lane where the points were shared
in an eight-goal thriller.
After taking the lead early on, the visitors were
continually pegged back, the final time being in the 88th minute when Robbie
Keane's spectacular hit rattled the top corner of the net.
We could even have
won it when, in injury time, Steed Malbranque found Dimitar Berbatov, he
side-stepped Alex but somehow Carlo Cudicini diverted his effort wide with his
right hand.Under three minutes were on the clock when a blocked free-kick found
its way to the left hand corner of the penalty area and was slung back in by
John Terry in the direction of Didier Drogba, who propelled himself at the far
post to head past a stranded Paul Robinson. Joe Cole thought he had added
another when, from a Drogba shot, Robinson made a fine save low to his right,
but Cole was on-hand, while also offside, to tap in the loose ball. The Lane was
rocking for the right reason on 11 minutes when a Jermaine Jenas free-kick was
flighted into the penalty area with precision and was met by the forehead of
Woodgate with considerable force and Cudicini was plucking the ball out of his
net, while the scorer wheeled off in celebration. There was a scare at the other
end when Cole dragged a low ball across the face of goal that seemed to deceived
everyone - thankfully, including the handily positioned Drogba. Michael Essien
was in the right place for his side on 19 minutes when Cole embarked on a mazy,
if unchallenged run, and slipped through to the big striker who dinked past the
advanced Robinson to put Chelsea back into the lead. Our first response from
Jenas when he cut in from the left to drill on goal was foiled by Cudicini.
Aaron Lennon had a dart forward and was thwarted by the goalkeeper who made a
dash outside his area, but despite claims for handball, all that was awarded was
a throw-in. Ashley Cole was yellow carded just before half-time for a high
challenge on Alan Hutton that looked worse with every replay - red was widely
anticipated but referee Mr Riley took the yellow option. Six minutes into the
second half the punishment was increased in goal terms when Joe Cole jinked into
the area down the right side, evaded Pascal Chimbonda, before his shot struck
the legs of Robinson, looped up and landed in the net. The deficit was reduced
to make it game-on again on the hour when, from a Tom Huddlestone corner,
Berbatov leapt and directed a lofted header over the despairing clutches of
Cudicini. Berbatov then delivered a superb measured ball into the feet of Keane
in the area and the leading goalscorer spun, the Lane held its collective
breath, but Cudicini saved down to his right. Drogba later could have wrapped it
up but flashed across the face of goal. Darren Bent was introduced in place of
Ledley King in the 69th minute of a dramatic night and seven minutes later the
Lane erupted when Huddlestone slammed in the leveller. A Keane corner evaded
penalty area masses and fell to the cultured feet of the midfielder for him to
arrow the ball into the bottom corner. The dampener came ten minutes from time
when Joe Cole again proved the thorn in Chimbonda's side, getting the better of
him inside the area before smashing high past Robinson to make it 4-3 to the
visitors. There was a final twist in the tail for the crowd of 36,178 when a
move appeared to break down but the ball landed in the path of Keane, who curled
the ball beyond Cudicini for a fitting finale to an enthralling encounter that
was almost surpassed with seconds remaining when Berbatov was denied a winner by
the hand of Cudicini after finding himself presented with a glorious opportunity
from about eight yards out. It was that sort of night.
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