Chelsea 2-1 Ipswich Town



Dalla Bona: Late and deadly

Chelsea	2-1	Ipswich
Zola 35 Dalla Bona 90		Stewart (pen) 81
FA Barclaycard Premiership

Sam Dalla Bona smacked home an injury-time goal to give Cheslea all three points against Ipswich Town - and give Claudio Ranieri a genuine reason to smile at the end of a troubled week.

Gianfranco Zola followed up his goal in midweek with the opener on 35 minutes, but Marcus Stewart's penalty nine minutes from time looked like salvaging a point for George Burley's men.

But Dalla Bona rifled in his first of the season to deny the visitors their chance to escape the bottom three - and lift the Londoners to seventh.

This was the visitors 10th consecutive match without a win in the league, equalling their worst-ever run under Burley.

Ranieri's rotavator was obviously well-oiled beforehand - with no fewer than six changes from Thursday.

No such luxuries for the Suffolk side, and they were soon under pressure as John Terry had a goal ruled out for offside after Matteo Sereni had fumbled a long-range effort from Frank Lampard.

The home side went ahead when Lampard picked out Zola on the edge of the box, and the Italian tucked away the chance with the minimum fuss.

Ipswich, so impressive in their UEFA Cup success in Sweden, had given Mark Bosnich very little cause for concern, until Mario Melchiot felled Stewart in the box eight minutes from time.

The Ipswich man slotted home his eighth of the campaign from the spot, but Dalla Bona's rocket cut short his side's celebrations.

Chelsea: Bosnich, Babayaro, Desailly, Terry, Melchiot (Gudjohnsen 84), Lampard, Jokanovic (Gallas 45), Dalla Bona, Zola, Hasselbaink, Forssell (Stanic 71).
Subs Not Used: Zenden, Cudicini.

Ipswich: Sereni, Clapham (Reuser 76), Hreidarsson, Venus, Bramble, Magilton, Holland, Wright, Makin, Stewart, Naylor (Counago 65).
Subs Not Used: Bent, Branagan, Gaardsoe.
Booked: Wright, Naylor.

Att: 40,497
Ref: R Styles (Waterlooville).