Tigers Untamed : Hull City 1 Chelsea 1

Didier Drogba celebrated his return from African Nations Cup duty by notching his 20th goal of the season to spare Chelsea's blushes against lowly Hull to draw 1-1, reports sportal.co.nz.
All eyes were, inevitably, on John Terry in his second match since allegations over his private life were made public but it was Hull centre-back Steven Mouyokolo who grabbed the limelight by heading the Premier League strugglers in front.
Drogba, in his first Blues match for a month, snared a point for the table-toppers when he drilled home a contested free-kick just before the interval.
Hull started confidently, winning corners on the left and right inside two minutes.
Chelsea repelled them safely but Stephen Hunt's delivery looked dangerous and the home side was assured in the opening minutes.
Terry started solidly and did not appear outwardly affected by the expected round of boos and chants.
In the ninth minute Frank Lampard had the first chance of the match, capping a nice passing move with a swerving shot at goal. Boaz Myhill could only parry it to Nicolas Anelka 10 yards out but the Frenchman fluffed his finish.
Drogba was also off-target as he blazed wide soon after.
Hunt was looking dangerous down the left for Hull and Branislav Ivanovic appeared unsettled by the bustling Irishman.
Chelsea should have taken the lead 25 minutes in when Deco's crossfield ball set Ivanovic free on the right and he arrowed a cross into the Hull area. Michael Ballack timed his run perfectly but headed tamely and straight at Myhill from close range.
Hull continued to give as good as they got, though, with crosses from Hunt and George Boateng both causing problems.
It was, then, no great surprise when Mouyokolo outjumped a number of Chelsea defenders, Terry included, to head home Hunt's 29th-minute corner.
Anelka and Deco failed to beat Myhill with low drives as Chelsea fought back and Anthony Gardner made good ground to dispossess Drogba as he shaped to shoot.
With three minutes to go before the break the Ivorian striker lashed home the equaliser with a disputed free-kick from just outside the penalty area.
Gardner missed a glorious chance to restore the lead before the break when he headed Tom Cairney's flighted free-kick over from just a couple of yards.
Terry was booked a minute after the restart for an ungainly leap with Jozy Altidore and it was almost a costly foul.
Hunt again sent in the cross and Altidore was left free in the box six yards out. He stooped to head goalwards but it looped up softly off the back of his head.
Ivanovic forced another parried save from Myhill in the 50th minute but when the loose ball was cut back across goal Lampard skied his shot.
Hull was furious when Mark Clattenburg deemed Ricardo Carvalho's risky challenge on Altidore legal, but there was more to worry about at the other end as the hour-mark approached. First Drogba and then Terry drew Myhill into action with strong headed efforts as the hosts failed to clear a corner.
Five minutes later Amr Zaki came off the bench for his second Tigers appearance and immediately had some joy as he got the better of Yury Zhirkov to reach the byline.
Ancelotti introduced a fresh playmaker of his own with 19 minutes to play, Joe Cole replacing the off-colour Ballack.
Chelsea's defending at set-pieces continued to falter as Hunt and Mouyokolo combined again with a near-post corner, though this time the defender headed wide.
Drogba was also off-target in the 77th minute, heading over Ivanovic's curling delivery as last man Myhill charged off his line.
Drogba was booked late on for a frustrated flick at Paul McShane and Myhill ensured the Tigers held on to a valuable point as he stretched to save Daniel Sturridge's late strike.

Clarets Conquered : Burnley 1 Chelsea 2

John Terry grabbed a late winner for Chelsea to cement their place at the top of the Premier League after deciding to play on despite allegations about his private life, reports sportal.co.nz.
The club captain headed home a corner from Florent Malouda in the 83rd minute but his celebration was muted.
It was a cruel blow for Burnley, who had drawn level through Steven Fletcher after Nicolas Anelka had opened the scoring.
Chelsea were looking to kick on after the victory over Birmingham and coach Carlo Ancelotti made two changes.
Alex and Yury Zhirkov were back in the side with Deco and Ricardo Carvalho stepping down.
Burnley manager Brian Laws gave a debut to Leon Cort after his 1.5million pound arrival from Stoke in midweek.
It was Laws' first home game in charge and a daunting one at that, especially after three straight defeats under his stewardship.
Terry was under the spotlight and his first touch saw him head the ball out of play.

Cort had to be on his toes in the seventh minute following a swift counter-attack by Chelsea. Joe Cole picked out Nicolas Anelka and his cross was turned away by the new signing from Stoke.
Chelsea maintained the momentum and Anelka played the ball back to Frank Lampard a minute later but he skied his shot over the crossbar.
Then Anelka fluffed his effort inside the area to the amusement of the Burnley fans, after good work by Joe Cole.
The home team responded and Robbie Blake thumped a free-kick into the wall in the 17th minute after Michael Ballack had been penalised for a challenge on Chris Eagles.
Back came Chelsea and Florent Malouda delivered the ball into the area only for goalkeeper Brian Jensen to make a comfortable save.
While the visitors were knocking the ball about well, Burnley were holding their own at this stage of the game.
Chelsea made the breakthrough in the 27th minute through Anelka's 12th goal of the season.
It was a sweeping move that caught Burnley flat-footed. Joe Cole delivered a cross to the back post and Malouda chased what looked like a lost cause.
He managed to steer the ball back into the area from the left, and Anelka lost two defenders to coolly finish things off.
It was just the boost Ancelotti was looking for on a ground where Manchester United lost earlier in the season.
It was proving a difficult spell for Burnley but Andre Bikey then rattled a shot over the bar as Terry tried to close him down.
Terry was then booked in the 35th minute for barging over Blake as he tried to burst forward.
The crowd was incensed with the Chelsea defender's challenge and let him know.
Chelsea, though, were playing with confidence and Jensen did well to head clear as Anelka tried to get on the end of a good ball from Branislav Ivanovic.
Blake then sent a free-kick into the Chelsea area after 43 minutes but Anelka showed his defensive qualities by heading clear.
Chelsea started the second half brightly with Malouda advancing and smacking a shot wide of the post in the 47th minute.
However they were stunned three minutes later when Burnley equalised after clever work by Blake.
He put Alex under pressure with a ball into the area and Fletcher got the better of the defender to score his 10th goal of the season with a deft finish.
Chelsea hit back and Joe Cole found the net in the 56th minute but his effort was ruled offside shortly after a shot from Lampard was blocked.
Laws decided to boost his attacking options three minutes later when Martin Paterson replaced Kevin McDonald.
It was bold move against the league leaders by the former Sheffield Wednesday manager.
Chelsea almost regained their lead in the 64th minute but Jensen got down quickly to parry Lampard's driven free-kick from 25 yards.
The visitors kept up the pressure and the goalkeeper then made a comfortable save from Alex after Malouda and Anelka had linked up.
The crowd was willing their team on though, and could sense another surprise result.
Chelsea boss Ancelotti decided to switch things around in the 73rd minute and brought on Daniel Sturridge for Joe Cole.
Sturridge then saw a header parried by Jensen before Terry silenced the home crowd in the 83rd minute.
Terry peeled away from his marker and got on the end of a corner from Malouda to head home.
However it proved to be Chelsea's winner and takes them four points clear of Manchester United.

Brummies Battered : Chelsea 3 Birmingham City 0

Chelsea returned to the top of the Premier League with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Birmingham City at Stamford Bridge, reports sportal.co.nz.
Carlo Ancelotti's side brought an end to Birmingham's 15-game unbeaten run thanks to an opening goal by Florent Malouda and a brace from Frank Lampard.
The win put Chelsea one point clear of Manchester United at the top of the table with a game in hand on their rivals.
The home side went ahead in the fifth minute when they opened their account through Malouda. The goal was engineered by England midfielder Joe Cole, who burst into the City penalty area from the right flank before crossing for the unmarked Malouda to head past Joe Hart from six yards.
City had been the only team in the league to prevent Chelsea from scoring when the two teams met at St. Andrews on Boxing Day but Ancelotti's side is a different animal at home.
But City managed to stave off the expected Chelsea onslaught by stifling the midfield.
The home side had to wait until the 20th minute for another meaningful attack.
Again Cole sent the ball into the penalty area but it was deflected for a corner.
However, only the width of the upright prevented the home side from increasing their lead seconds later.
Malouda's corner was met by the head of Ricardo Carvalho but the Portugese defender saw the ball cannon back off the post.
Chelsea continued to press and Lampard sent an angled drive into the arms of Hart in the 21st minute, while Cole was inches wide with a 20-yard shot moments later.
Cole was having a fine game for the home side and another 18-yard effort was well held by the diving Hart in the 26th minute.
But Chelsea did make it 2-0 in the 31st minute when Lampard collected a pass from Michael Ballack and sent a low angled drive beyond Hart and into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
Chelsea had now moved up a gear and were in their familiar smooth groove.
In the 34th minute, Nicolas Anelka had a shot deflected for a corner as the home side looked for a third.
Chelsea's passing was fluent and inventive and Birmingham had no answer.
They possessed little attacking threat, with Chelsea captain John Terry proving to be an imposing figure in his 300th career league game.
City had not tested Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech and lacked the quality and guile to trouble the home defence.
There was also a distinct lack of ambition in City's play, which was surprising given their 15-game unbeaten run.
Chelsea began the second half with the same attacking desire and a 25-yard drive from Anelka ruffled the side-netting with Hart scrambling to protect his near post.
In the 53rd minute, Hart rescued Birmingham when a cross from Ashley Cole found the unmarked Ballack at the far post.
The German captain sent his downward header towards the corner of the net but Hart somehow managed to grab the ball in time.
City replaced Cameron Jerome with Keith Fahey in the 56th minute as the visitors looked to add more impetus to their attack.
Chelsea were inches away from a third in the 59th minute when a corner by Malouda was directed just over the crossbar by Ballack.
Joe Cole deserved a goal as a reward for his performance but he squandered a real chance in the 64th minute when Lampard found him with a fine cross-field pass.
The midfielder, hoping to play his way into England's squad for the World Cup finals this summer, hit a weak shot straight at Hart from eight yards.
Hart was busy again two minutes later when he held a long-range drive from Malouda.
Birmingham's James McFadden broke clear of the Chelsea defence in the 72nd minute but his angled shot flashed the wrong side of the far post.
Moments later substitute Fahey brought a fine save from Petr Cech as City finally put some pressure on the home defence.
But Chelsea made it 3-0 in the 90th minute when Lampard collected a pass from Malouda and fired past the advancing Hart.

Preston Panned : Preston North End 0 Chelsea 2

Daniel Sturridge enhanced his growing reputation by helping Chelsea secure a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup at Deepdale, reports sportinglife.com.
The former Manchester City striker scored his third goal for the club and repeatedly kept Preston's defence on their toes.
Sturridge's strike in the 47th minute effectively killed off the tie in what was Darren Ferguson's first home match as manager.
Ferguson will no doubt look back on a chance that changed the face of the game.
Darren Carter should have cancelled out the opening goal from Nicolas Anelka but somehow screwed his shot wide of the target.
Chelsea controlled the game and had it not been for goalkeeper Andy Lonergan the margin could have been greater
The visitors almost took the lead in the 14th minute when Yury Zhirkov saw his effort booted away by Lonergan after the Russia international had played a neat one-two with Frank Lampard.
That came after an early scare when Hilario punched away a header from Chris Brown following a cross from Chris Sedgewick.
Chelsea began to impose themselves and Anelka got into a good position only to drag his effort wide of the target.
Preston were struggling to get into the game but Callum Davidson found himself clear in the area. However his soft header ended in the goalkeeper's arms.
Then substitute Florent Malouda found the net for Chelsea in the 26th minute but instead of celebrating a goal they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area.
Michael Ballack saw his effort deflected to safety but this was a difficult spell for Preston.
The home side were grateful to Lonergan five minutes later when he stood tall to parry Alex's blistering 25-yard effort following a short free-kick from Lampard.
Chelsea's pressure paid off when Anelka made the breakthrough. The France striker got away from Youl Mawene on the edge of the box and even though Lonergan made some contact he could prevent his effort going into the net.
Preston, however, launched a spirited comeback and nearly drew level four minutes later.
Brown's towering header was taken by Hilario at the last moment and the ball fell to Carter but he found the wrong side of the post with the rebound.
Play switched down the other end and Paulo Ferreira almost extended Chelsea's lead with a blistering shot that went narrowly wide.
Chelsea doubled their advantage two minutes into the second half following a corner from Malouda.
John Terry powered in a header that came back out but only as far as Sturridge, who whacked the rebound home.
Sturridge then had an appeal for a penalty waved away after he went down in the area following a challenge from Davidson.
Ferguson decided to take off the unfortunate Carter in the 59th minute and bring on Jon Parkin to add a bit of muscle up front.
Chelsea were looking comfortable with a two-goal cushion and Anelka tried to release Sturridge but he had strayed offside.
Ballack tried his luck from distance but the ball hit Lampard's heel before Sturridge almost got a second goal, his effort going marginally off target.
Lonergan again came to Preston's rescue in the 67th minute, pushing over a header from Ballack inside the six-yard area.
Preston striker Parkin then tested Hilario from distance in the 77th minute as they tried to get back in the game.
Parkin was not afraid to shoot on sight and saw his effort minutes later sail wide of the target.
Sturridge went close again in the 83rd minute and substitute Joe Cole fired wide late on as Chelsea ran out two-goal winners.

Sunderland Shattered : Chelsea 7 Sunderland 2

Chelsea maintained their slender lead at the top of the Premier League by hitting sorry Sunderland 7-2 at Stamford Bridge, reports sportal.co.nz.
Carlo Ancelotti's side proved it can prosper without its quartet of African stars as goals from Nicolas Anelka (two), Florent Malouda, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard (two) and Michael Ballack set the seal on a fine afternoon for the Blues.
It kept them one point ahead of Manchester United at the summit of the League with a game in hand on their rivals.
Sunderland managed two consolation goals through substitute Bolo Zenden and Darren Bent but Steve Bruce's side has now failed to win in their last eight league games.
Chelsea dominated from the start and Joe Cole could have put them in front in the first minute.
But the England international failed to beat goalkeeper Marton Fulop after Malouda's header had put him clear of the Sunderland defence.
Ashley Cole then headed wide from point-blank range in the fourth minute when Joe Cole's cross found him at the far post.
But the returning Anelka put Carlo Ancelotti's side ahead in the seventh minute.
The France striker pounced on a clever through-ball from Ballack, rounded Fulop and placed the ball into the net.
Sunderland's first real attempt on goal arrived in the 13th minute but Bent's shot from the edge of the penalty area was easily saved by Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal.
Malouda added a second for Chelsea in the 17th minute when he collected the ball just inside the Sunderland half, shrugged off two challenges and sent an angled right-foot drive into the bottom corner of the net from 18 yards.
Sunderland had not won in the league since beating Arsenal in November and they were not in the same class as the Blues.
The gulf was underlined in the 22nd minute when the league leaders went 3-0 in front with another simple move.
John Terry's lofted ball from the back found Ashley Cole sprinting into the penalty area and the England left-back dummied Lorik Cana before dinking the ball over Fulop.
In the 32nd minute, Anelka got clear of the Sunderland defence yet again but this time Fulop's knees prevented him from scoring.
But it mattered little as Chelsea made it 4-0 two minutes later. Anelka fed Ashley Cole on the left wing and his cross was volleyed home from six yards by Lampard.
Chelsea were now playing some vintage stuff and moments later Ashley Cole was only denied a second by Fulop's outstretched hands.
Ballack was inches away from a fifth in the 36th minute when his curling shot fell just the wrong side of the left-hand upright.
Joe Cole forced Fulop into a diving save in the 43rd minute with a shot from the edge of the penalty area before Chelsea were cheered off the field at the interval.
Chelsea made two changes at half-time. Captain Terry was replaced by Alex while Yury Zhirkov came on in place of Ashley Cole, who collected a knock scoring his goal.
But Chelsea still dominated and in the 50th minute, Fulop had to tip a shot from Anelka onto the crossbar and post to prevent the home side scoring a fifth.
But the goal came in the 52nd minute and it was pure simplicity for Chelsea.
A cross from Joe Cole on the right flank was headed home from six yards by the unmarked Ballack.
Sunderland hit back in the 56th minute when substitute Bolo Zenden fired home from the edge of the penalty area.
But Chelsea's sixth duly arrived in the 64th minute when Zhirkov's cross was punched straight to Anelka by Fulop and the Chelsea striker slotted into an empty net from the edge of the area.
In the 75th minute, Anelka was denied a hat-trick when his shot from six yards was somehow kept out by Fulop.
Nine minutes later, Joe Cole hit the post with a header after Juliano Belletti had knocked an Alex free-kick into his path.
But Chelsea made it 7-1 in the 89th minute when Lampard headed home a cross from Anelka. Moments later Bent scored from close range for Sunderland before Chris Foy brought proceedings to a close.