Source: Daily_Mail
Chelsea 1 Bolton 0: Anelka on target against former club as Blues go four points clear at top
[LNB]Not quite as easy as Sir Alex Ferguson had tried to make out - not by a long way. But Carlo Ancelotti was able to arch an eyebrow in quiet satisfaction as he inched closer to the title in his first season. [LNB]Nicolas Anelka scored the only goal as Ancelotti survived his first mind games with Sir Alex and moved clear at the top.Ten more points will secure the title, fewer if Arsenal slip at Tottenham on Wednesday night. [LNB]Excitement bubbles at Stamford Bridge but this was far from routine. There were scares, notably two penalty appeals for handball, 'stonewallers' in the eyes of Owen Coyle. [LNB] Top man: Nicolas Anelka celebrates after scoring the winning goal for Chelsea[LNB]The first was against Didier Drogba and then a more obvious oneagainst John Terry which prompted Coyle and his coaching team to leapfrom the bench in unison. [LNB]Referee Lee Probert, a late replacement for Chris Foy - selected forthe FA Cup final and unable to take charge of Chelsea or Portsmouthgames before next month's Wembley date - remained unmoved. [LNB]There was defensive panic, a header missed by Johan Elmander afterhe eluded Terry and a sliced clearance by Didier Drogba which allowedIvan Klasnic a late chance which he dragged wide. [LNB] Heads, you win: Anelka scores his first goal in 14 games as Chelsea beat Bolton [LNB][LNB]There were cuts and bruises, generally distributed by ramrod strikerKevin Davies, who cut Yuri Zhirkov in a clash of heads and left JohnMikel Obi in such apparent agony on the halfway line that it was amiracle he sprang to his feet to play on. [LNB]When Joe Cole picked up the ball on the right, three minutes intoadded time, Ancelotti was pointing him furiously towards the cornerflag. Forget entertainment, waste time and win. When Cole jinkedinside, looking to thread a pass to Florent Malouda, and lostpossession, the manager threw up his arms in exasperation. [LNB][LNB]They may not be the slick machine they were when they last won thetitle four years ago but Chelsea's veterans are battle-hardened andthey retain enough of their old resilience and desire for a domesticarm-wrestle like this. [LNB]Bolton boss Coyle had done his homework. Fabrice Muamba and SamRicketts were deployed as midfield markers, sticking tight to FrankLampard and Michael Ballack respectively in an effort to choke Chelseaand allow Jack Wilshere to push forward in support of lone strikerDavies. [LNB]For 44 minutes, the plan went well. Chelsea were limited goingforward to a couple of Drogba free-kicks, one of which was parried byJussi Jaaskelainen straight on to the head of Salomon Kalou and thenlooped just wide. [LNB]At the back, the home team were forced to defend bravely. Petr Cechfumbled a low cross from Chung-Yong Lee under pressure from Matt Taylorbut dived among the boots to smother it. Zhirkov needed treatment for anasty cut after a clash of heads with Davies. [LNB]The Russian was bandaged and sent back on but the bleeding did notstop and he needed more treatment before half-time, which saw Lampardfill in as an emergency full back. [LNB]Strangely, the blow had a positive effect on Zhirkov, who came backout with his head stitched to play a key role in Anelka's goal, whicheased the nerves around Stamford Bridge just before the interval. [LNB]Having spent most of the season looking like an £18million waste ofmoney, the man dubbed the 'Russian Ronaldinho' in his homeland,produced an outstanding performance at left back. [LNB] Angry: Owen Coyle felt Bolton should have been awarded two penalties[LNB][LNB]Anxiety was rippling around the stadium when Zhirkov charged up theflank and cut inside. He stopped, turned and rolled a pass to Drogba onthe left. Drogba delivered a wonderful cross with his left foot, whichwas headed in from close range by Anelka, pulling away from defendersZat Knight and Gretar Steinsson.[LNB] It was his first since January and his first since Drogba returnedto the team after the Africa Cup of Nations. It went some way towardsanswering questions about whether the two strikers can prosper in thesame team. [LNB]MATCH FACTSCHELSEA (4-3-3): Cech 6; Ferreira 6, Alex 7, Terry 7, Zhirkov 8; Ballack 5, Mikel 6, Lampard 6; Kalou 5 (J Cole 77min), Drogba 7, Anelka 7 (Malouda 67, 6).Booked: Alex.[LNB]BOLTON WANDERERS (4-4-1-1): Jaaskelainen 6; Steinsson 5, Cahill 5, Knight 6, Robinson 5; Lee 6 (Klasnic 82), Muamba 7, Ricketts 6, Taylor 6; Wilshere 7 (Elmander 82); K Davies 6. Booked: Steinsson, Robinson, Davies, Elmander.[LNB]Man of the match: Yuri Zhirkov.[LNB]Referee: Lee Probert.[LNB][LNB]Chelsea went after a second. Kalou was put clean through by Drogbabut was denied by Jaaskelainen's legs and another Kalou effort driftedover moments later. Lampard lashed a 20-yarder into the foot of a postand Terry fired a volley narrowly wide. [LNB]Joe Cole came on to set up Ballack for a header which he plantedstraight at the goalkeeper. Then Cole missed a sitter at the death. [LNB]Just as Stamford Bridge started to relax and songs about winning thetitle were contemplated, Chelsea became tense but Bolton could not findthe net. [LNB]Defeat leaves Coyle with work to do before he can look back on asuccessful escape from relegation. As for the Blues, they could reflecton a victory against Bolton buoyed by superstition. [LNB]A win at the Reebok clinched their first Premier League title in2005 and victory at the same venue the following season propelled theminto a nine-point lead at the top as they defended their trophy.[LNB] Chelsea 1 Bolton 0: All the action as it happenedFoy given chance to impress at Wembley by refereeing FA Cup finalCHELSEA FC
