Source: Daily_Mail
Chelsea 2 Wigan 1: Lampard delivers on time to keep title hopes alive
All around him, fans were celebrating and his staff were ecstatic. Yet Guus Hiddink, Chelsea's[LNB]new manager, stood impassive, arms folded and grimfaced, a pose that has become familiar in the past 10 days. [LNB]He is Sir Alf Ramsey reincarnated, in temperament at least, keeping his head when all round are losing theirs. Frank Lampard had just headed home a winner over Wigan[LNB]in the 90th minute and Stamford Bridge had erupted in sheer relief. [LNB]Not Hiddink, however. He makes encouraging noises about the commitment and the reaction of his players but he knows this Chelsea side need to improve - and quickly. 'I'm happy and satisfied for the win but the way we gave away control in the second half is not super-satisfying,' said Hiddink. [LNB] How's that for starters: John Terry opens the scoring at Stamford Bridge[LNB] Chelsea v Wigan: How the game unfolded[LNB]CHELSEA NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]WIGAN NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Everton 2 West Brom 0[LNB]Arsenal 0 Fulham 0[LNB]Middlesbrough 2 Liverpool 0[LNB] 'I have to be happy but also critical. We have to improve tactically when we are on and off the ball. 'If the boys can always guarantee a last-minute win, then I can suffer for 90 minutes on the bench. But no one can give me that guarantee. What I like to see is that the game is killed when you're dominating in the first period.' [LNB]Yesterday his side were labouring, stumbling towards another draw at home, the kind that became familiar under Luiz Felipe Scolari. Chelsea had the better of the game, the pick of the chances but had allowed themselves to be caught out in the final 10 minutes, thanks to slack defending. [LNB]Yet as the fourth official held up the board that indicated three minutes of added time, John Terry played a long ball, hoping for once to outwit Wigan's excellent defensive partnership of Emmerson Boyce and Titus Bramble. [LNB]Michael Ballack flicked the ball on and Lampard directed a header home to lift Chelsea to second in the table. But Chelsea were fortunate that referee Lee Probert did not rule out the goal because Lampard held Mario Melchiot. [LNB] Party time: new Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink and assistant Ray Wilkins celebrate John Terry's opener[LNB]Wigan manager Steve Bruce was right to be utterly dismayed, for his team deserved better after a fine performance. As for the title race, Manchester United remain seven points clear with a game in hand and Hiddink is no romantic dreamer. [LNB]'I'm rather realistic,' he said. 'That's to say we have first to win our games - and hopefully a little bit more comfortably than we did today. And second, we have to ask Edwin van der Sar if he would like to let the ball in the back of his net. I don't think he would be willing to do so. [LNB]'A stable team like Manchester United are in a good seat. But as long as we have a possibility, and as long as it's not decided, we will aim for it and that's what the team showed last week at Villa Park and today.' [LNB]Wigan had the best of the opening chances and Paul Scharner should have put them ahead on 18 minutes when clear through on goal. A minute later Ashley Cole headed off the line from Bramble's header. [LNB]'Two chances in two minutes!' reflected Bruce. 'I don't think I've had two chances in the last two years here! But we didn't take them and we needed to.' [LNB] In the wars: Didier Drogba battles for possession with Mario Melchiot[LNB]Chelsea then awoke, John Mikel Obi forcing an excellent save from Chris Kirkland before the goal came on 25 minutes. [LNB]Lampard crossed into the six-yard area, Boyce headed the ball away but only to Terry on the edge of the area. The Chelsea captain's leftfooted volley was impressive but it was the deflection by Boyce that beat Kirkland. [LNB]The goal will go down as Terry's and his 35th for the club takes him past Peter Sillett, from the Fifties, as the club's highest-scoring defender. Lampard forced another sharp save from Kirkland in the 37th minute and Bramble was again required to clear off the line when Drogba finally managed to get past the Wigan keeper. [LNB]Yet Wigan kept coming and Scharner should have scored with a diving header after Maynor Figueroa provided an excellent looping cross. Four minutes later it seemed they had a point for their travails. Figueroa again provided the cross and Olivier Kapo stuck out a leg to deflect it in. They celebrated in the corner in front of their fans, though it turned out to be premature. [LNB] Delivering on time: Frank Lampard wheels away in delight after scoring Chelsea's late winner[LNB] Chelsea v Wigan: How the game unfolded[LNB]CHELSEA NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]WIGAN NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Everton 2 West Brom 0[LNB]Arsenal 0 Fulham 0[LNB]Middlesbrough 2 Liverpool 0[LNB][LNB] [LNB]
