Cole Rescues Red-Faced Scholes
(Sky
Sports)
Steve Brenner reporting
Andy Cole signed off in style before his three-game suspension with a
69th-minute equaliser as Manchester United continued their pursuit of a third
successive championship.
Cole, who will not play again in the Premiership until March 31st, notched
his 12th goal of the season to cancel out Jimmy Floyd Hasselbainks first-half
strike in a pulsating clash at a rain-soaked Stamford Bridge.
It was Claudio Ranieris team who had the better of the first half but in
the second period the champions were at their dominant best and created enough
chances to snatch all three points.
Like all games between these two arch-rivals controversy was not far away and
Chelsea will rue the referee's decision to rule out a fantastic strike by
Gianfranco Zola after 55 minutes. The little Italian dispossessed Raimond van de
Gouw and beautifully slotted the ball home only for it to be disallowed by David
Elleray, who believed the ball had gone over the line for a goal-kick.
But to their credit Chelsea stood firm in the face of a barrage of pressure
and held out for a well-earned point.
The home side flew out of the blocks and Sam Dalla Bona produced a fine save
from Van de Gouw, who pushed his rasping drive behind for a corner.
Chelsea, victorious in 10 of their last 11 home games, were causing United
all sorts of problems and the brilliant Jesper Gronkjaer, a constant menace
until he was replaced midway through the second half, was inches wide after a
dazzling run from the half-way line.
And the Danish international was heavily involved in Chelseas comical
opening goal. It was the former Ajax mans cross that was headed away from
danger by Jaap Stam but Paul Scholes inexplicably decided to head the ball back
into the danger zone, straight on to the head of Hasselbaink who nodded the ball
home from six yards.
United mustered their first shot after 38 minutes but Roy Keane failed to hit
the target and he steered a shot wide three minutes later to send the teams in
level at the break.
The turning point came two minutes after the re-start when the exhilarant
Gronkjaer, a revelation since he has been introduced to the side, beat three men
and squared the ball to Hasselbaink. But the Dutchmans touch was poor and
allowed Silvestre to smash the ball away from danger to keep United in the game.
For the remainder of the match United dominated and Beckham went close with a
trademark free kick which was brilliantly turned over the bar by Carlo Cudicini
and Cole screwed wide two minutes later.
Ryan Giggs waltzed through the Chelsea midfield with a dazzling run but the
Welsh winger blasted over after the ball bobbled nastily on the uneven Stamford
Bridge surface.
But Giggs redeemed himself five minutes later when his defence-splitting pass
was expertly finished by Cole, via a deflection off Desailly, to give United a
deserved equaliser.
Both teams went in search of the winner and Scholes capped a miserable
afternoon with a glaring miss 10 minutes from time. Gary Neville sent over a
pinpoint cross but the England midfielder, normally lethal from six yards, saw
his header travel wide of the post.
A draw was a fair result and Chelsea will take heart from their display as
they defended resolutely in the face of constant United pressure.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: ANDY COLE (MANCHESTER UTD) Chelsea: Cudicini, Babayaro, Leboeuf, Desailly, Terry, Ferrer (Lambourde
87), Wise, Dalla Bona, Gronkjaer (Jokanovic 70), Hasselbaink, Zola (Gudjohnsen
90). Man Utd: Van Der Gouw, Gary Neville, Stam, Brown, Silvestre, Giggs,
Keane, Scholes, Beckham, Solskjaer, Cole. Att: 34,960
Chelsea
1-1 Manchester United
Hasselbaink 24 - Cole 69
FA Carling Premiership
A constant menace all afternoon, committed to the United cause and he thoroughly
deserved his goal.
Subs Not Used: de Goey, Stanic.
Subs Not Used: Rachubka, Butt, Sheringham, Phil Neville, Yorke.
Booked: Scholes, Cole.
Ref: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).