Chelsea 2 Coventry 1

By Mark Bradley, PA Sport Chief Soccer Writer

Even an injury-time winner by Roberto Di Matteo was overshadowed by a disgraceful touchline row between staff and substitutes that ended with Coventry boss Gordon Strachan being ordered from the dug-out at Stamford Bridge.

The clash between the two sides on the pitch will be remembered for the Chelsea clawed their way back after conceding an early goal to Darren Huckerby, his seventh strike in three games.

Frank Leboeuf levelled four minutes into added time at the end of the first-half and then Di Matteo struck just as late on in injury-time at the end of the match to keep the London side at the top of the table.

But there was no way that the shameful scenes witnessed on the touchline after 83 minutes can be allowed to rest without a serious investigation.

Chelsea's determination to gain the winner overspilled when their staff clashed with their Coventry counterparts in their desperation to retrieve the ball after it went out for a throw-in.

Strachan held on to the ball as he sought treatment for George Boateng but Chelsea assistant physio Terry Byrne forced his way over to the Sky Blues dug-out.

A mass of staff and players then started pushing and shoving each other in an ugly confrontation.

No punches were thrown but police and stewards had to force their way between the warring factions to segregate them before referee Jeff Winter finally intervened to send Strachan to the stands as well as Blues' kit man Aaron Lincoln.

Yet Strachan's temper will not have been helped by the way his side then conceded a late winner after producing an incredibly motivated performance to derail Chelsea for 93 minutes.

The Sky Blues had taken Chelsea apart in the opening 20 minutes of their encounter at Highfield Road on the opening day of the season.

And they repeated that start at Stamford Bridge as they tirelessly hustled Chelsea in midfield, with Huckerby a constant menace up front.

Chelsea were handicapped in central defence by the loss of Marcel Desailly through injury and Michael Duberry through suspension.

Leboeuf and Bernard Lambourde were given a torrid time early on as Boateng forced keeper Ed De Goey into a diving save.

It merely proved an indication of what was to come as Gary McAllister hoisted a long ball over the top and the two Chelsea defenders failed to clear, allowing Huckerby to pounce.

The Dutchman had not been beaten for 495 minutes before the start of play after five clean sheets but his record was extended by only another eight minutes as the Coventry striker lobbed the ball over him and into the back of the net.

Chelsea certainly had their chances, even though they were forced to speed up their normally measured build-up play, and player-boss Gianluca Vialli was the main culprit for wasting openings.

He placed one shot across the face of goal and then completely missed his kick after being set up by an unselfish pass from Gianfranco Zola.

However much Chelsea pressed though, they remained vulnerable to the pace of Huckerby and Steve Froggatt, and the winger headed one chance narrowly wide before striking another shot against the upright after rounding De Goey.

The home side upped the tempo yet again just before the break but still came up against resolute blanket defending.

It was left to Leboeuf to take matters into his own hands in thrilling style as he brought the ball out of defence, stepped inside McAllister with aplomb and then let fly with a thunderous shot into the top corner from 20 yards out.

Huckerby was just as dangerous after the break, pouncing on another McAllister through-ball only to see his shot deflected.

Although his side were largely penned back into defence, whenever he got the chance to break away, the striker caused major headaches in the Chelsea back four.

Lambourde appeared particularly uncomfortable and Strachan almost burst a blood vessel on the sidelines when the defender escaped punishment after apparently holding back Huckerby in the penalty area.

Chelsea piled forward in ever increasing numbers but Vialli's woes in front of goal continued and their final ball kept on letting them down.

However, their frantic desire to snatch a late winner overspilled into the ridiculous touchline row that led to the dismissals of Strachan and Lincoln.

With stewards and police providing segregation between the two dug-outs, attention turned back to the pitch and somehow Chelsea snatched victory just as they had done in added time against Aston Villa last month.

Di Matteo was this time the hero, firing in a 20-yard shot that beat Hedman to rifle into the back of the net.

Chelsea's only consolation is that they do not have to face Coventry again in the Premiership this season.

Investigations over the touchline row must now take place though.

Teams

Chelsea: De Goey, Ferrer (Goldbaek 85), Lambourde, Leboeuf, Le Saux, Petrescu, Wise, Di Matteo, Babayaro, Vialli, Zola.

Subs Not Used: Hitchcock, Nicholls, Terry, Morris.

Goals: Leboeuf 45, Di Matteo 90.

Coventry: Hedman, Nilsson, Shaw, Williams, Burrows, Telfer, McAllister (Aloisi 90), Soltvedt, Froggatt, Huckerby, Boateng.

Subs Not Used: Breen, Jackson, Ogrizovic, Edworthy.

Booked: Hedman, Burrows, Telfer, Boateng.

Goals: Huckerby 9.

Att: 34,869

Ref: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).