Terry revels in 'special' cup victory

John Terry hailed a "special" feeling after helping Chelsea seal their first league and FA Cup Double by beating Portsmouth 1-0 at Wembley. Chelsea hit the woodwork five times in the first half and could have gone behind had Kevin-Prince Boateng not missed a penalty in the 56th minute.Didier Drogba then scored with a stunning free-kick three minutes later, before Frank Lampard missed a spot-kick of his own a minute from time.Blues skipper Terry told ITV1: "It's unbelievable. It's never been done in the club's history and to do it with this group of players feels so special."I thought our luck was out but what a great free-kick from Didier."Terry was unimpressed with the infamous Wembley surface though, adding: "The pitch ruined the final. It's probably the worst pitch we've played on all year."Terry, continuing his criticism of the Wembley surface, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It was not good enough for a Wembley pitch."The FA have to decide if this is a football pitch or events stadium."On the victory itself, Terry added: "It is incredible. What an amazing day today."It was one of those days but we came strong and full credit to Didier."The reason why we are top of the league and won the FA Cup is that we are the best team and we have great determination."Goalkeeper Petr Cech admitted he "got lucky" with his first-half penalty save from Boateng."I knew what the choices were and from the body language when he ran towards me I chose that side - but I was lucky to get there," he said.The Czech international added that the players were desperate to write their names in the club's history, which he felt may have played a part in them uncharacteristically missing a host of chances before Drogba finally made the breakthrough."I'm speechless because during the game there were a lot of emotions," he said."We wanted to be the first team at Chelsea to win the Double - and we also defended the FA Cup, which is an achievement as well."We kept missing and missing and it looked like it was not going to be our day but to make two crucial saves I am delighted."Drogba admitted it was hard to come back down to earth after sealing the Premier League title last weekend with an 8-0 thrashing of Wigan.He told ITV: "It's fantastic; we achieved the double. It was difficult to come back and stay focused (after) we celebrated the title."It was difficult again against a very good Portsmouth team."You start to feel that you won't score but if you manage to create chances in the first half it means in the second you will have some."On his free-kick, he added: "I saw a little gap, not a big space, because the wall was in its position."I hit the post again but it went in this time."Portsmouth manager Avram Grant was proud of his players after what they went through in a difficult season which saw them relegated following a nine-point deduction for going into administration.Grant told ITV1: "It's a day (when) I'm very proud and very sad; sad because we couldn't win the game, but it's an unbelievable season and something I won't forget."Grant attributed no blame to Boateng, saying: "Win as a team, lose as a team. It happens even to the best."Unfortunately it's happened to me twice. What can you do?"We played tactically very well, we gave everything. The fans were great. Unfortunately we couldn't win."Asked if the Pompey fans had seen the last of him, he replied: "I don't know. They are great."Portsmouth midfielder Jamie O'Hara admitted the Pompey players started to believe they could win the game after the way the first half went.He told ITV1: "We rode our luck in the first half - David James pulled off some unbelievable saves - then we had the chance to win the game."If the penalty had gone in we could have defended for our lives, but it wasn't meant to be. Chelsea showed their class in the end."O'Hara played despite a stress fracture in his back, and asked if he risked his fitness, he replied: "Yes. I put as much as I could into the game."It's going to the last time we all play together, so it's an emotional day for everyone at the club. It would have been great to go out with a big win."He added: "They'll be back. They're a massive club with great fans."Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti identified Cech's penalty save as vital to the win."It was the key moment," he said. "It would have been very difficult if Portsmouth scored."On the Double, he told ITV1: "It's very important. First time (for the club), for me also. Fantastic season, fantastic day."We were unlucky the first half, it can happen in football, (but) five posts never happened in my career, five in one half."He continued: "As a group, the organisation of the club, everyone worked this year to do their best and everyone deserved it."Asked if the Champions League will be the goal next year, he said: "We will try. This year we wanted to win also the Champions League but we have to be happy for the Premier League and the FA Cup."Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole said: "It was a funny day. I've never seen the team miss so many chances. But it's finished as a great day."It's history for this club. I'm so pleased for everyone who's worked so hard all year."On hitting the woodwork five times, he told ITV1: "I've never seen it done before. When Frank missed the penalty at the end you think, 'Okay, it's just going to be 1-0'."Asked about his future, Cole said: "My focus is getting on the plane to South Africa then winning the World Cup, and that's what I'm going to do."Defender Ashley Cole, who set a new record with his sixth FA Cup winner's medal, said his much-criticised move to Chelsea from Arsenal in 2006 had been vindicated."It feels great. I came here to win trophies and this is the third one I've won here," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "It is a great achievement for me and I'm very happy and to do the double here is fantastic."Man-of-the-match Drogba warned that Chelsea would look to at least match their achievements next season."I am really lucky and really proud of what we achieved today," he said."We had a great season and to do the double is something fantastic and we made history."We won a lot this year so why can't we do it again next season? We have a good squad and next season we will try to keep the (Premier League) title and do the same."Portsmouth midfielder Michael Brown said they had been lucky to get to half-time still on level terms but admitted Boateng's missed penalty eventually cost them."We rode our luck in the first half and we knew we had to do that," he said."We knew at half-time when they didn't score we would get a chance and the penalty was such a massive break for us but it was not to be and poor Kevin is distraught."They scored a fantastic free-kick and with Chelsea there is no way back."On what lies ahead for next season in the Championship, Brown said: "It is up to the powers that be to decide on a budget and the players they need."

Source: Team_Talk