Dennis Wise and Chelsea made FA Cup history with the Blues taking the last cup final at Wembley before the Twin Towers are knocked down - and Wise producing a first by taking baby son Henry up the steps with him to collect the trophy.

Roberto Di Matteo's goal earned Chelsea the FA Cup for the third time in their history, and the second time in four seasons when the same player scored the quickest cup final goal in history against Middlesbrough.

The former Lazio man's winner was a personal nightmare for the Aston Villa keeper David James.

The England international has strived for many years to rid himself of the 'Calamity James' tag. However, the cruel nomenclature came back to stare him full in the face as he made a terrible hash of Gianfranco Zola's 73rd minute free-kick.

He rose abvove a crowd of players, fumbled the ball into the back of Gareth Southgate, and presented the Italian international with a simple opening from five yards, which he hooked home with glee.

In a game of precious few openings, it was always likely that such an error would prove costly, and Villa can have few complaints as they failed to create one clear-cut opening in their first appearance the FA Cup Final for 43 years.

Chelsea kicked off and were soon knocking the ball around, without really looking threatening, before Villa suddenly decided to get serious, and issue a statement of intent. George Boateng lunged in on Didier Deschamps, earning a 'calm down' chat from referee Graham Poll.

George Weah, starting in the absence of Tore Andre Flo, was looking lively, resplendent in his 1970's white boots, but it was no surprise to see space at a premium.

The first opening fell to Zola as he sped down the right, clipped the ball in but it was headed clear by Gareth Southgate, and Wise returned the volley with interest. James gathered comfortably in his midriff.

Paul Merson then managed to deliver from the right, but Leboeuf was alert to the danger and headed clear, before a long pass from Gustavo Poyet aimed to pick out Gianfranco Zola but James came racing out of his goal to hack clear.

Villa began to settle, but shortly after Gareth Barry was booked for cutting down Mario Melchiot as he burst clear down the right. The Dutchman, deputising for the injured Albert Ferrer, returned the compliment moments later, and became the second man in the book.

Alan Wright swung a decent cross from the left and Merson reacted quickest but his right-foot volley drifted a couple of yards over Ed De Goey's crossbar.

There was no great tempo or urgency in the play as the clock went past the half-hour mark, and Villa were having little problem containing Chelsea's ponderous build-up play, with George Boateng and Ian Taylor relishing the midfield battle, and Benito Carbone and Merson tackling back in determined fashion.

Surprisingly there were no changes at half-time, but four minutes into the second period, Chelsea clicked into gear.

Zola sent Weah clear down the inside-right channel and the Liberian striker did not break stride before unleashing a stinging cross-shot that fizzed wide of James' right-hand upright.

Moments later, the first real moment of controversy. Leboeuf's attempted cross came straight back to Roberto Di Matteo. The Italian's snap-shot from the left-hand corner of the area was spilled by James, and Wise was on hand to tuck in the rebound. However, the Blues celebrations were cut short by the flag of the referee's assistant, who had correctly adjudged Weah to have been offside, as he followed in, one yard ahead of Wise.

Boateng had a snap shot blocked by Wise's flying challenge at the other end as the game suddenly showed signs of life. The Chelsea captain then found his range, and a crunching challenge released Zola on the right. His swinging cross found Weah in space at the far post, but the Liberian's side-footed finish flashed high and wide.

With 60 minutes gone, the pressure was on Villa for the first time, as Chelsea, so stilted before the break, were suddenly full of movement and trickery. Another clever Zola pass released Weah in the area, but James was out quickly to smother the attempted overhead flick.

Villa's next threat came from a central free-kick, but Dublin could get no power on the header from Southgate's knock-back.

With 17 minutes left, Chelsea did what they had not done all season - and scored a goal against Villa.

Zola's free-kick from the left was fumbled by James, the ball bounced off the hapless Southgate and fell to the feet of Di Matteo, and he gleefully hooked the ball into the roof of the net from five yards. It was the Italian's third goal in his last four appearances for the Blues.

De Goey promptly mimicked James at the other end, but Carbone, in space to the left of goal ten yards out, hurried his left-foot shot and Leboeuf hacked clear. The Villa striker then made way for Julian Joachim as Villa strived for a way back.

However, it was Chelsea who continued to dominate with Zola, invigorated, seeing plenty of the ball, and Di Matteo and Wise keeping a stranglehold on the Midlanders.

With time running out, Barry's left wing cross was expertly hooked clear by Gus Poyet, and the Villa's man return ball was headed tamely over by Ugo Ehiogu.

In the final minutes one last free-kick was hoisted into the Chelsea area, with James lurking, hoping to atone for his blunder.

Alas for the Villans, there was to be no dramatic finale, and the cross, like most of their attacks all day, was repelled with ease.

For Chelsea, deserved silverware at the end of a long season. For Villa, after a 43-year wait, the pain of defeat will be acute.

MATCH FACTS

Aston Villa: James, Barry, Southgate, Ehiogu, Wright (Hendrie 87), Boateng, Taylor (Stone 78), Merson, Delaney, Dublin, Carbone (Joachim 78). Unused subs: Samuel, Enckelman.
Chelsea: De Goey, Babayaro, Leboeuf, Desailly, Melchiot, Deschamps, Di Matteo, Poyet, Wise, Zola (Morris 90), Weah (Flo 87). Unused subs: Cudicini, Terry, Harley.

Referee: Graham Poll (Tring)

Goalscorer - Di Matteo (73 mins)
Booked - Boateng (A), Wise (C), Melchiot (C), Barrie (A), Poyet (C)

Attendance: 78,217