23RD August 2006

Chelsea took the lead with a Shevchenko goal, dominated the first-half, but lost to two
strikes in the last 12 minutes. The defeat was the final surprise in a night full of them.

Chelsea suffered the first blow and surprise when Robben felt tightness in his leg on
getting back to the dressing room after the warm-up, and Kalou was upgraded for his full
debut. Diarra, who had been left out, stepped up to the bench.

Then Middlesbrough lined up with defender Parnaby in midfield giving them a 4-5-1
formation, mirroring Chelsea's 4-3-3 but defensively so. On paper, their line-up had
looked more like a back five. On Saturday at Reading after going 3-2 down they had
changed to a back three and pinned the home team back.

There was a third surprise. The ground was far from full. For Gareth Southgate's home
debut as manager Boro fans failed to buy all the seats. Chelsea fans also failed to fill the
away allocation. The crowd was 29,198, well below the 35,000 capacity.

Finally, there was the early Boro pressure. Their fans held up cards to acknowledge the
20th anniversary of them being locked out of Ayresome Park when they were bankrupt
and had to play a game at Hartlepool. Chelsea, of course, were the first opposition in the
new Riverside Stadium back in 1995, 11 years ago, when we quickly went a goal down
on the way to a 2-0 defeat.

This time Carvalho blocked a Boateng effort, Riggot headed over from a corner conceded
under no pressure by Ferreira, and Yakubu just failed to meet a Taylor cross which
evaded the Chelsea defence and bolted across the area.

But throughout the opening period Bridge looked sharp up Chelsea's left, and combined
well with all the front three on different occasions. And in the 16th minute Essien
provided a wonderful pass, like Robben for the third goal against Manchester City on
Sunday, and Bridge hared away again and crossed low for Shevchenko to beat the
defence to the ball and stab in his first Premiership goal while falling to the ground.

Minutes later Drogba charged away up the right and belted a low ball across the six yard
box which Kalou just failed to meet on the dive.

In the 22nd minute Drogba raced away again, this time up the left, touched the ball past
Davies and was upended with a disgraceful tackle. It was in normal football a sending off
offence. Even a lenient referee would give a yellow card. But referee Howard Webb
ignored the incident, and then whistled for an offside flag.

The Boro fans chanted: "Cheat, cheat..." at Drogba. But the Chelsea team and following
noted another referee who failed to see good football foiled by cheating.
Indeed, with 26 minutes gone Boro had committed six fouls, not including Davies' on
Drogba, and Chelsea one. From the free-kick which was over 25 yards out after the sixth
foul, Shevchenko hit a wonderful top corner shot which Schwarzer brilliantly turned
aside as he flew across his goal. After a sticky start, Chelsea were in charge.

It took a fine Riggot challenge on Drogba to prevent him converting a Ferreira cross, but
the less glamorous players were the ones catching the eye: Essien was everywhere,
blocking in defence one minute and shooting and forcing a Schwarzer save the next; and
Bridge was intercepting, tackling, counter-attacking. The Chelsea fans soon started
singing: "Who needs Ashley Cole, who needs Ashley Cole, we've got Bridgey, we've got
Bridgey, who needs Ashley Cole!"

Chelsea's eighth free-kick led to a Drogba header and another good Schwarzer save.
When the half-time whistle went the only disappointment was that Chelsea weren't at
least two goals up as the football deserved - and maybe a man up!

The second-half, like the first, started badly. Drogba wasn't out of the tunnel when
Middlesbrough kicked off and ran on uninvited by the referee, immediately conceding a
free-kick and picking up a yellow card.

Chelsea didn't get going at all for the first quarter of an hour, although Kalou was judged
offside when he raced away and fed Shevchenko to finish. But at the same time Boro
hadn't fashioned a shot on goal, so Southgate took off full-back Davies and put on
midfielder Cattermole. Chelsea responded by Shevchenko counter-attacking up the left
and crossing superbly for Lampard to arrive and just mis-time his header, hitting the bar.

Moments later at the other end Cudicini and Yakubu seemed blinded by the lights when a
lob fell near the Chelsea six yard box. Cudicini stayed on his line and Yakubu's free
header was mis-timed badly wide. Chelsea looked to need that two goal advantage as
much as ever.

Middlesbrough went even more attacking with 20 minutes left, replacing midfielder
Mendieta with striker Viduka. Boro pushed forward, and Yakuba went down under
pressure from Carvalho. Referee Webb waved play on.

The game was gaining edge. Parnaby was booked for hacking down Kalou. Drogba fell
theatrically in Boro's area and the crowd jeered with fury. Terry dived across his six yard
box to head away a dangerous Downing cross. Suddenly Boro had threat.

Ferreira was booked for bringing down Downing after a poor pass from Carvalho. From
the deep free-kick Pogatetz had a free header six yards out and equalised. For all the Boro
pressure, it was their first effort on target.

Mourinho sent on Wright-Phillips for Makelele. Essien went in the middle and Chelsea
played 4-4-2.
The fact was that the away team looked tired. Kalou was needing too many touches, and
the focus of some of the defending was lacking.

But Chelsea still looked for the winner. Bridge and Terry were outstanding, Lampard
forced a booking, finally, out of Boateng, and then thumped the free-kick from over 25
yards and forced another Shwarzer diving save, the ball tucking under him as Essien tried
to square the rebound back into the six yards box.

Seconds later it was all over. Carvalho failed to clear a long ball forward, Downing
crossed, Yakubu knocked down, Viduka finished. It was their second shot on target and
the last minute of normal time.

Terry went forward for stoppage time, but the game was lost. If you don't take your
chances, and you can't defend your goal, you lose games like this.

Middlesbrough (4-5-1): Schwarzer; Davies (Cattermole 60), Riggott, Pogatetz, Taylor;

Mendieta (Viduka 71), Parnaby, Boateng (c), Rochemback, Downing; Yakubu.
Scorers: Pogatetz (79), Viduka (89)
Booked: Parnaby (76), Boateng (87)

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cudicini; Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry (c), Bridge; Essien, Makelele
(Wright-Phillips 84), Lampard; Shevchenko, Drogba, Kalou.
Scorers: Shevchenko (15)
Booked: Drogba (45.20), Ferreira (78)