Cole saves sorry Blues

Cole: Match winner

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Joe Cole returned to haunt his former side West Ham as he fired Chelsea to victory at Stamford Bridge.

Cole, who left the Hammers for Chelsea in 2003, latched onto a Salomon Kalou header to skilfully round goalkeeper Robert Green on 75 minutes to score the only goal of the game.

In a scrappy first half it was West Ham who had the best opportunity when Nolberto Solano snuck in to lob Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, but the Peruvian's effort drifted just over.

The home crowd were evidently frustrated by their side's lacklustre showing and after the interval Chelsea came out in an attacking mood and West Ham were grateful for intelligent goalkeeping from Green to deny Didier Drogba.

Chelsea, though, then had the lead their second-half performance deserved when Cole, who was debatably offside, fired into the roof of the net and West Ham had no answer.

Bad-tempered

The first half was notable only for its free-kick count and referee Howard Webb booked four players, Matthew Etherington and Luis Boa Morte for the visitors and Chelsea duo John Obi Mikel and Salomon Kalou.

Fourth official Steve Tanner was also involved in an investigation when Drogba left the fray midway through the half to complain about an incident that had occurred near the West Ham fans in one corner of the pitch.

It seemed the Ivory Coast striker had been less than happy with a bright light being shined in his eyes from the stands, with a laser pen the most likely 'weapon'.

Free-kicks and flare-ups greatly out-numbered the moments of creative play before referee Webb brought an end to a bad-tempered first half.

Frank Lampard and Alex both fired early free-kicks into the wall and Kalou had been wasteful with a drive from outside the box.

Caught out

Drogba had come close with a curling effort which just cleared Green's left-hand post and it was a while before the visitors responded.

Solano almost caught out the home side just after the half-hour mark with a clever lob which ended on the roof of the net with Cudicini back-tracking.

By then Etherington had been booked for tugging back Juliano Belletti and Mikel was then shown a yellow card for scything down West Ham's other ex-Chelsea man, Scott Parker. Indeed, the Nigerian was lucky it was not a red.

Kalou's foul on Boa Morte earned him a booking before John Terry's header from a Lampard corner forced Green into the half's only real save.

There was still time before the break for Boa Morte to be booked for a late tackle on Mikel.

Thumping

There was a chance for Chelsea immediately after the restart but the recalled Steve Sidwell saw his shot deflected behind off Matthew Upson. The former Reading man tried again and met a Lampard corner with a thumping header but it was far too high.

Lampard and Joe Cole were also off target with subsequent efforts but at least the game had at last taken off as a spectacle.

Belletti's error then let in Boa Morte. In came the shot but Terry was able to take the sting off it to help Cudicini save.

At the other end Green had to palm away Joe Cole's cross and the goalkeeper was first to the loose ball as Drogba prepared to shoot.

West Ham were looking dangerous as well though and Parker sent a curled effort at Cudicini before Chelsea swapped Sidwell for Shaun Wright-Phillips in the 66th minute.

The Hammers made a change after Terry had fired across goal and narrowly wide, with Freddie Ljungberg replacing Solano for the last 15 minutes.

Joe Cole's winner was just seconds away however with Drogba and then Kalou winning headers and the England man rounding Green in style and firing high into the empty net.

The Hammers sent on striker Dean Ashton in search of an equaliser but Chelsea were not to be denied.