19/01/2000  Chelsea 2 Nottm Forest 0

Gianfranco Zola was the most relieved man at Stamford 
Bridge as he rescued a night of personal calamities by laying 
on the Frank Leboeuf goal that set Chelsea on their way to FA 
Cup victory over Nottingham Forest.

It was from Zola's precise 57th-minute free kick that his 
French team-mate headed the Blues into the fifth round of the 
competition, and a home tie against either Arsenal or 
Leicester a week on Sunday.

Until that moment, the popular little Italian striker was 
having the proverbial nightmare, most notably denying Dan 
Petrescu a goal after 30 minutes by needlessly helping the 
ball into the net from an offside position.

The Chelsea team took the field with Ken Bates' words of 
stinging criticism ringing in their ears.

In his programme notes, the controversial Blues chairman 
described last Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Leicester as 
"the worst display I have seen from a Chelsea team for many a 
year."

It was just as well then that Bates was not here to witness 
the clash with First Division Forest, as he would not have 
been impressed by another performance sadly lacking in ideas 
and invention for most of the 90 minutes.

A dull first half took 28 minutes before suddenly bursting 
into life. In a two minute spell Zola was denied a goal by an 
acrobatic goal-line clearance, then he robbed Petrescu of a 
goal by making sure the Romanian's effort crossed the line 
when it would have been wiser to stand aside.

First, Gus Poyet released Zola with a well-placed header in 
the box. He neatly scooped the ball over advancing goalkeeper 
Dave Beasant but French full-back Matthieu Louis-Jean 
recovered superbly to hook the ball off the line with a 
bicycle kick.

The ball was cleared to left back Jon Harley and he 
unleashed a fierce and curling drive from 25 yards which beat 
Beasant but crashed off the bar.

Chelsea kept up the pressure and when Harley then crossed 
from the left, Beasant mis-judged the bounce of the ball and 
fumbled it straight to Petrescu at the far post. With the big 
goalkeeper on the floor, Petrescu nudged the ball towards the 
goal. But Zola, who was standing a yard from the line, had a 
brainstorm as he decided to blast the ball into the back of 
the net.

The goal was rightly ruled out for offside. But referee 
David Elleray confirmed he would have allowed the goal had 
Zola not interfered and allowed Petrescu's effort to cross the 
line.

Zola has not scored since October 20, so perhaps his 
untimely and illegal intervention was a case of pent-up 
frustration.

He wasn't helped by the fact that Chelsea had played the 
wrong tactic for most of the first half anyway.

They kept sending a high ball into the box aimed at Zola, 
but against the towering figure of Beasant there was no 
contest.

It looked like it just wasn't going to be Zola's night. 
After three minutes you fancied him to score from a free kick 
on the edge of the box, but although he curled the ball around 
the wall, Beasant saved low to his left.

Zola was denied again after 53 minutes when he had a clear 
sight of goal from 15 yards but delayed long enough for Forest 
defender Jon Hjelde to deflect his effort behind for a 
corner.

Thankfully Zola came good just four minutes later when 
Chelsea won a free kick for a handball on the left flank, 
level with the 18-yard box. The ball was whipped in with pace 
and accuracy and all Leboeuf had to do was apply his bald head 
to send it flying into the far corner of the net for his 
fourth of the season.

The goal relaxed Chelsea slightly and they increased their 
pressure, but they found Beasant - who trains with them during 
the week - in defiant mood, and he twice denied Poyet headers 
with good tip-overs Leboeuf was denied a carbon-copy goal 
after 81 minutes, this time his header from Zola's free kick 
was well gathered by Beasant.

They deserved their second goal after 85 minutes which was 
wonderfully set up by substitute Jody Morris, who put it on a 
plate for skipper Dennis Wise. Morris - who replaced Didier 
Deschamps after 69 minutes - beat two defenders on a surging 
run into the box before chipping the ball into the middle for 
Wise to head home his sixth of the season.

It was the skipper who had come to his side's rescue with 
an 85th minute equaliser against Leicester on Saturday in that 
match which had rattled Bates.

Tonight his goal was less important, but at least it killed 
off the tie in Chelsea's favour.

At the other end it was a quiet night for Ed De Goey 
against a Forest side who are failing to gel under former 
England golden-boy David Platt.

The only serious time De Goey was called into action was 
when Stern John got in a shot on the turn after 64 minutes, 
but the big Dutchman blocked with his legs at the post.

It was well documented before this match that rival 
managers Platt and Gianluca Vialli have been close friends for 
the past ten years.

This result will not have surprised either of them, and the 
least Vialli can do is to foot the bill for the post-match 
meal they have planned.