COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY

From my seat: Chelsea (FAC4R)

True Grit. The real Vanilla remake.

3.30 breakfast and hit the road, not the best of starts to watch a footy match but hell it?s the cup and the Blues are involved. Still, get there and park and await whatever outcome. 6,000 tickets sold and I reckon more than that had made the trip and a good number had got in. The money making scam of last week was dropped this week as the correct team was beamed to our mobiles and showed Beckford up front and Jags in for Heitinga plus Osman out left in place of Bilyaletdinov. I mention this because last week we had a wrong line up text to us and then amended and they charged us twice, still while money is short every little helps.

The game started and in truth apart from the players? willingness to show endeavour after last week?s debacle it was a bit of a stalemate although we did press and get the backs forward but Beckford found little room to worry the Chelsea back two especially with little or no support resulting in yet another moan about cutting edge.

The home side did look dangerous without threatening until from a set piece that was headed against his own post by Jags, we cleared but that effort seemed to energise Chelsea more and the legs of Howard denied them the opener. Then the eternal diver Drogba went down with the slightest if any touch and you would have thought he would have been out for months rather than minutes.

Of course it was minutes and you do wonder why football puts up with such feigners. Chelsea were now more or less on top without really producing much and we broke when we could but such was the gap between striker and provider it was occasional balls into the box that threatened but ultimately came to nothing.

Chelsea as ever were willing to try anything to break us down and a through ball to Ramires into the box saw Howard make a dash and a sprawl which allowed Ramires to dive but The ref Mr Dowd was up with it and booked the man for diving much to the delight of those faithful in attendance. H/T arrived and most thought 0-0 was ok; it was all on field chat rather than any recrimination for off field activities.

Second half and Chelsea responded by replacing Mikel with Essien and showing their growing frustration at their inability to break us down. They did go for it and we were under the cosh for lengthy spells and until we weathered that storm Drogba had free kicks either picked up by Howard or headed wide. We did fashion a couple of chances when Osman headed goalwards but straight at Cech and then from a good run by Coleman his final ball appeared to go behind Beckford who could no more than scuff off target.

Chelsea came at us again and at times it was akin to the Alamo and we needed to applaud Howard for one stop to deny Lampard and other keystone cop moments involving all and sundry to ensure parity. Cahill had taken some knocks for the team and it was no surprise when he was replaced by Bilyaletdinov. We never laid down and from a Bilyaletdinov cross Coleman headed straight at Cech. We then replaced Beckford with Anichebe and fair play the faithful welcomed him to the fray and he almost repaid the faith when being just short of connecting with a Bilyaletdinov cross. At the other end Lampard chipped over when all assembled thought a goal was on.

The clock was ticking down and from a nothing move the excellent Baines cut in and fired goalwards, Cech had the ball bounce off him and Fellaini prodded home. With the word goal in the throat the realisation that it had been chalked off for offside was hard to bear by all. Final whistle and I have to admit our lads looked goosed with little more to give. Moyes and Round were animated and physio?s overworked and from the off of the extra time we were under the cosh.

Lampard soon put the home side ahead and the game fell flat as the Londoners seemed content with cruise control. Heitinga had been introduced for Osman but seemed unsure of his role but none the less no one was giving up and a blood soaked Jags was sent forward to join Fellaini. We did what we could but without looking likely until right on the death Jags was hauled down and Baines had positive words with Arteta and it was indeed the former who prevailed. Thank God he did as his free kick from beyond the box?s edge was of postage stamp accuracy and gave Cech no chance as it nestled top corner. Now I have been to many matches but that sheer outpouring was something else.

Penalties were now required and who knows. Chelsea score and up steps Baines, he of the superlative free kick, he misses, Misery. Drogba scores, more misery. Jags scores- hope. Howard saves from Anelka, belief. Arteta evens up, more belief. Essien and Heitinga score, no change. Up steps Cole via a slight nudge from the retreating Heitinga (good on yer Johnny) and misses.

Heart in mouth time. Capt Pip steps up, places the ball, retreats little more than a yard, some turn their backs, some cover their eyes, some stoically wait. Whistle goes-Pip fires ?cue the party of parties since semi-final day. Whatever the troubles of the club don?t mither us today as we all came together, celebrated and if we were kept back no-one noticed. Wherever and how you watched it I hope you enjoyed but I doubt it could have matched that player/fan adulation that somehow happens from time to time.

Many will say and perhaps with some justification that today?s result merely papers over cracks but I tell you this 14 players, manager and some 7,000 travelling Blues won?t give a damn and will be fired up for next Saturday and then believe the worry beads can be put away until next season.?but who knows?. Ah the beauty of footy.

Overall not perhaps the best of matches, maybe a game between two underperforming teams at the present but just maybe the winners can be galvanized to have an upturn in fortunes.

M.O.tM is always popular and my vote would be for Baines with Howard, Jags, Distin and Fellaini being in contentio

Today I thought that maybe apart from ?Up front man? and maybe flank players we have some quality and until such time as the club can resolve things then we have what we have and hope the quality we have allied to effort and spirit can compensate and produce, just like today, a win in the remaining games of this season and beyond.

All will be revealed game on game. See you next week.
UP THE BLUES.

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