03/03/2001  Coventry 0 Chelsea 0
 
Chris Kirkland kept Chelsea frustrated with a string of superb saves at 
Highfield Road.

The 19-year-old returned between the posts after a five-match absence with 
Magnus Hedman relegated to the bench.

Kirkland responded with a marvellous display in a match that both sides needed 
to win for vastly different reasons.

Coventry are fighting to avoid the drop while Chelsea still harbour dreams of
a place in Europe.

Kirkland had a nightmare at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season when he was 
sent off.

Today he could be well satisfied with his display although Coventry remain in 
deep trouble and are without a win in nine Premiership matches.

Chelsea keeper Carlo Cudicini made a marvellous point-blank save from Mustapha 
Hadji in the second minute.

Hadji looked certain to give the struggling home side the lead and couldn't 
believe his luck after Craig Bellamy played the ball in.

Then it was Coventry keeper Kirkland's turn to get his hands stung when he 
made a superb block from Eidur Gudjohnsen.

With both sides keen for a victory for different reasons, you could feel the 
tension in the air.

Referee Steve Bennett had a quiet word with John Hartson of Coventry and 
Marcel Desailly of Chelsea after a brief confrontation between the two.

Hartson, who scored in the 2-2 draw against Charlton last week, was seeing 
plenty of the ball.

But Coventry, without a win in eight league games, looked unsure of themselves 
and the crowd were becoming impatient with only half an hour gone.

Jesper Gronkjaer looked a threat every time he got forward for Chelsea and 
drove in a 20-yard shot that drifted wide of the post.

French defender Desailly then conceded a throw-in and was bundled into the 
safety wall by Hartson in his hurry to get the ball.

Referee Bennett allowed play to continue and the Welsh striker rattled a shot 
past the post.

Desailly was still stunned and needed brief treatment before returning to the 
pitch.

Chelsea pushed forward three minutes before the break and Kirkland responded 
with two fine saves.

He turned a 20-yard shot from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink around the post then 
tipped over Gus Poyet's header after Dennis Wise had delivered the corner.

David Thompson should have put Coventry ahead a minute from half-time but 
somehow volleyed wide from six yards following good work by Bellamy.

In stoppage time Gudjohnsen sent a shot into the crowd after a dreadful 
clearance from Gary Breen.

Desailly didn't re-appear for the second half and was replaced by John Terry.

Thompson was again showing plenty of pace on the flanks for Coventry but 
continued to run into trouble.

However he was only inches away from giving the home side the lead in the 53rd 
minute.

Chelsea conceded a free-kick 20 yards out when Wise brought down Hartson. 
Thompson curled his effort superbly around the wall but Cudicini was equal to 
it.

Kirkland was looking a safe pair of hands for Coventry and reacted 
instinctively to push away a shot from Gronkjaer after Hasselbaink had carved 
out the opening.

Hadji's free-kick from edge of the area went just wide as Coventry tried 
anxiously to make the breakthrough.

Then Thompson fired in a shot from an acute angle only for Terry to clear off 
the line before Kirkland pushed over a Hasselbaink thunderbolt.

Coventry fans screamed for a penalty when Frank Leboeuf appeared to handle a 
shot from Thompson but referee Bennett would have none of it.

Gianfranco Zola was introduced to the action in the 82nd minute when he 
replaced Gudjohnsen and almost put Chelsea ahead with his first touch.

His 25 yard free-kick rattled the bar after Hasselbaink had stepped over the 
ball.

Sub Mario Stanic should have sewn it up for Chelsea in the last minute and 
given them their first away win in the league this season. He drew Kirkland off 
his line but lofted his shot over the top.