CHELSEA HOME, 1ST MARCH.

By Mark Deeks
March 2 2003

CHELSEA HOME, 1ST MARCH. A JFH OWN GOAL (HAHA) gave Newcastle an early lead, before Lampard equalised for the visitors. Olivier Bernard scored the winning goal to help Newcastle climb away from fourth-placed Chelsea.

CHELSEA HOME, 1ST MARCH.

Big games. Important games. Winning them feels immeasurably good. Losing them can bring on depression.

Let's set this up. Three points would bring us level with Man U having played the same number of games, in second. Almost more importantly it would put seven points between us and Chelsea in fourth, AND with a game in hand. The nerves were relentless. Not only was there the current situation, but Chelsea had recently become something of a bogey team, with us failing to beat them since Sir Bobby took over. And I don't really like them.

We've become used to Newcastle coming out of the blocks like a hare out of the traps, and scoring early goals. This certainly wasn't the case today. Instead we had to battle early Chelsea pressure, with the visitors forcing several early corners. However, there were few if any clear cut chances. At the other end, a lovely move put Viana in the clear for a shot, but the young Portuguese star fired powerfully high.

Chelsea continued to press, but were still finding it difficult to get passed debut boy Jonathan Woodgate (who was being highly effective if unspectacular), and his surprising to many choice of partner Andy O Brien. The most surprising feature of the first half for me, was the excellent defensive cover work of Olivier Bernard. He seemed to have been left as the last man on more than one occasion, but was performaing admirably.

The least surprising factor was that referee Jeff Winter really is useless. A series of baffling decisions (only enhanced by the goon running the line on the East Stand side) was really not helping my blood pressure.

Then we got our break. A lovely bent Solano cross looked to be causing problems when it left his foot, but few could have predicted Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (back to defend the corner) flinging himself at the ball only to crash a header high into the net passed his own keeper! Get in!!!! 1-0.

Right lads, lets get settled. Well no, actually, cos five minutes later Shay was coming way too far for yet another Chelsea corner, not getting there, and before you knew it Lampard had crashed a volley in from the edge of the box. Bummer. 1-1. (No doubt Ranieri would say "For me, this is important.....")

On the stroke of half time, Jeff Winter elevated himself to Rennie status for me. Firstly, Bellamy turned his marker supremely on the half way line and sent Dyer clear, only for Chelsea to be given a free kick. Presumably for.....well no, I've actually got no idea. Then, as the chorus of boos for the officials was getting higher, Winter delivered the most ridiculous decision I can remember for sometime.

There was a scramble in the box. Alan Shearer was twelve yards out, the ball seemed to drop perfectly for him, and he cocked the trigger as he drew back that powerful right boot of his. Several Chelsea defenders seemed to converge on him and the next thing you knew, Super Al was on his backside. Stone wall, cast iron, blatant penalty. Surely.

No.

Jeff Winter, you are a plonker. If that wasn't a penalty then I'm Claudio "For me this is important" Ranieri.

The abuse the ref received as he left the pitch was relentless. And he deserved every ounce of it.

We hadn't played particularly well so far. Maybe our recent exploits were starting to catch up with us. How wrong I was. In the second half we were magnificent. For legs, tackling, tracking back, covering, harrassing and general workrate, we were top drawer. And on top of that we were playing some lovely stuff.

Olly Bernard. May I take this opportunity to congratulate you. Not just on your goal, more of which in a sec, but on your overall game. You played like a man possessed. You truly were everywhere, and for me you were the best player on the pitch, and considering who else was out there, I can pay you no higher a compliment. I never thought I'd see the day. Brilliant.

And then there was the goal. Touch, move, pass, excellent. A number of players were involved in the build up, Viana's through ball was top drawer, and as Bernard steamed through, it looked certain that he would square it across the six yard box. In fact, from my end that looked like what he had done. But no, as Cudicini came out, Oliver Bernard, sometimes unreliable left full back, dinked it over him. Great goal. 2-1.

From then on I thought we deserved it. We worked and harried brilliantly. And there you have it. Three points again and Man U well within our sights. And they still have to come to SJP in April. What a game that promises to be.

Then Sunderland lost to Fulham.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. Just a little statistic. Newcaslte have won more games this season out of ten in the Champions League than Sunderland have won out of 29 in the Premiership.

I repeat. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA.

Keep the faith.