28/11/1999  Chelsea 1 Bradford 0
 
Tore Andre Flo earned an unconvincing victory for Chelsea 
to keep them in touch with the Premiership leaders, but once 
again the Londoners looked to be suffering from a European 
hangover.

Gianluca Vialli's team have played seven Champions' League 
matches this season, but this was only the third time they 
have managed to follow up their European venture with a win in 
the league.

After sweeping aside Dutch giants Feyenoord in style with a 
3-1 victory on Wednesday, they may have found it hard to focus 
for a clash with lowly Bradford.

But that is what life in the Premiership is all about, and 
unless Vialli's men can maintain some consistency their 
championship hopes will again be derailed.

Flo scored his eighth goal of the season in front of the 
lowest league gate of the season at Stamford Bridge after 15 
minutes.

Gianfranco Zola curled over a corner from the right, and 
Flo was allowed to make a late run inside two defenders and 
sweep the ball home.

Gustavo Poyet - wearing the captain's armband in the 
absence of suspended Dennis Wise - sent a shot wide and a 
header over the bar inside the first eight minutes as the game 
struggled to come to life.

But then Flo gave his team some breathing space with the 
early goal, and thoughts turned to how many more Chelsea might 
score as they attempted to close the gap on Leeds at the top 
of the table in one of their games in hand.

Bradford boss Paul Jewell obviously felt the game would be 
won or lost in midfield, as he packed five men across the 
middle to counter the passing threat of Poyet, Didier 
Deschamps and Jody Morris, with Lee Mills as a lone 
marksman.

There was no doubting Bradford's commitment and effort, but 
they were reduced to long-range efforts which hardly troubled 
Ed De Goey in the Chelsea goal.

Vialli was forced into a minor reshuffle on the right side 
of midfield after 28 minutes when Dan Petrescu hobbled off and 
was replaced by Bjarne Goldbaek.

Zola had a good chance to increase the lead after 34 
minutes.

Morris - in for Wise - tried his luck from 25 yards, and 
his shot was charged down. 

It fell nicely for Zola to hit first time from 15 yards on 
the right-hand side, but the little Italian drove his shot 
wide of the near post when he might have been expected to at 
least hit the target.

Goldbaek did well down the right two minutes before the 
break when he skipped past two men and delivered an inviting 
cross. 

But his good work was spoiled by Flo, who was penalised for 
a push on David Wetherall.

The last word of the first half almost went to Bradford's 
Mills, however.

His captain Peter Beagrie - celebrating his 34th birthday - 
played a good ball in from the left, and Mills got the better 
of Jes Hogh, who was in for the suspended Frank Leboeuf, but 
headed just wide.

Goalkeeper Matt Clarke produced a wonderful save after 51 
minutes to deny Zola and keep Bradford's hopes alive.

Flo showed good skill on the right byeline and chipped in a 
perfect cross for Zola to meet with his head. 

Clarke had begun to dive the wrong way but he stuck out an 
arm to beat away the powerful downward header, and the ball 
was hooked to safety.

As news filtered through of Leeds' 1-0 victory over 
Southampton which took them above Manchester United to the top 
of the Premiership, the home crowd tried to urge their team on 
to score a second goal which would make the game safe.

Bradford had made a positive start to the second half.

Mills had been on target with a header after 47 minutes, 
but it lacked the pace to cause a problem for De Goey.

Then two minutes later Poyet bundled over Gareth Whalley on 
the edge of the box, and Dean Windass saw his free-kick 
deflected off the wall for a corner. 

That produced another header for Mills, and this time De 
Goey had to tip it over the bar.

Chelsea needed to stay on their mettle in what was Vialli's 
99th match in charge. 

But Hogh caused a minor scare after 61 minutes with a 
sloppy back pass which his goalkeeper had to sweep to safety 
as Windass closed in.

City boss Jewell made a change which he hoped would help 
produce an equaliser when he replaced Whalley with Robbie 
Blake after 68 minutes.

Marcel Desailly made an important interception to prevent 
the ball from reaching Blake in the box after 76 minutes. 

Jamie Lawrence made a good burst out of defence and crossed 
from the right flank, but the French World Cup winner cleared 
the ball with his outstretched leg as the City substitute 
waited to pounce.

There was a moment of controversy at the other end a minute 
later when Flo thought he had scored his second goal of the 
game.

Zola crossed from the left and Flo's header appeared to 
cross the line before Clarke clawed it away. 

But referee Alan Wiley clearly didn't think the whole of 
the ball had crossed the line as he waved play on.

De Goey saved another Mills header under his crossbar after 
81 minutes, and Chelsea survived a nervy last few minutes to 
record their first home win since thrashing Manchester United 
5-0 back on October 3.