Chelsea 1 Blackburn Rovers 2

With Brad Friedel in typically formidable form, Claudio Ranieri's men toiled with Eidur Gudjohnsen the first to be foiled by the American keeper after fine approach play by Frank Lampard.

Rovers showed a flash of their threat when Carlo Cudicini had to be alert to deny Corrado Grabbi, and Celestine Babayaro almost put through his own net after Andy Cole poked goalwards.

Friedel reacted smartly to frustrate Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lampard on a couple of occasions, while Gianfranco Zola, on as a substitute to register his 300th Blues appearance, was guilty of a bad second half miss.

Perhaps the best opening was squandered by Hasselbaink, who headed wide after a powerful run and cross by Gudjohnsen, and Rovers made him pay by breaking the deadlock with four minutes left when Dwight Yorke was left unmarked to head home.

A second strike on the counter-attack, by the recalled David Dunn, who fired a low drive past Cudicini, was to prove decisive as, after failing to net all afternoon, Chelsea finally found their scoring boots when it was too late.

Hasselbaink rocketed a ferocious free kick past the previously unbeatable Friedel to offer scant consolation to the Londoners.