06/03/2002  Chelsea 3 Fulham 2
 
Chelsea bucked their trend in London derbies to defeat 
Fulham and maintain their bid for a Champions League 
place.

Having taken just eight points from as many capital clashes 
prior to this contest, another night of frustration appeared 
to be in store until Mikael Forssell emerged from the bench to 
turn in a late winner.

Claudio Ranieri's side, who began the evening 11 points 
adrift of fourth place and that lucrative spot in Europe's 
premier club competition, were twice pegged back by goals from 
Louis Saha.

But Forssell ensured a new beginning for a late season bid 
for the top four on a newly-laid Stamford Bridge surface.

Captain Marcel Desailly, back after missing the 2-1 defeat 
at Charlton with a hamstring, should have returned with an 
immediate impact.

But when he unexpectedly arrived on the edge of the 
six-yard box to meet Graeme Le Saux's low centre, after Eidur 
Gudjohnsen's dummy offered the opportunity, he stabbed 
wide.

It would have been a perfect start for Chelsea, who began 
the night 11 points adrift of a Champions League place.

But they might have been behind to their less illustrious 
neighbours in the sixth minute after Desailly conceded a 
corner.

From Steed Malbranque's delivery from the right, Steve 
Marlet rose highest to head powerfully against the crossbar 
and the hosts cleared.

At the other end, Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink twice went close 
to adding to his 18 Premiership goals for the season.

First, he hit the side-netting from Mario Melchiot's 
through ball.

Then, it took a perfectly-timed sliding tackle from Alain 
Goma to divert a goal-bound drive.

But Chelsea did score with their next attack of note from 
an unlikely source.

Melchiot ran unchallenged from right-back once again before 
cutting in to shoot past a static Edwin van der Sar with his 
left foot, via a deflection off Rufus Brevett.

Yet, within 60 seconds of Chelsea's opener, Fulham were 
given the chance to level in controversial circumstances.

A burst into the area by Louis Saha was halted by a 
well-timed tackle by William Gallas - but referee Peter Jones 
pointed to the spot as Saha hit the turf.

Saha, last season's top scorer in English football, took 
the kick himself, tucking the ball inside Carlo Cudicini's 
right-hand post with the goalkeeper diving left.

Chelsea were incensed by the decision and had a right to be 
so.

Their retribution was telling with Zola testing van der Sar 
with a right-foot curler before another effort from the 
diminutive Italian was superbly repelled by the Holland 
international at the expense of a corner.

Then, just short of the half-hour, Chelsea regained the 
lead.

Le Saux exploited holes in a Fulham defence that had 
conceded eight goals in three consecutive defeats by inviting 
Eidur Gudjohnsen to run deep into the visitors' territory.

The Icelandic striker picked his spot and sidefooted past 
van der Sar for his 12th league goal and 19th in all this 
season.

After Malbranque watched a volley deflect behind of Gallas, 
Fulham were denied a second, this time seemingly legitimate, 
penalty as Marlet was tripped by Frank Lampard's trailing 
leg.

In fact, it was only woeful finishing from last season's 
Division One champions that prevented them going in level at 
the break.

Abdeslam Ouaddou inexplicably directed his free header from 
a Malbranque corner wide.

And Saha, seizing on an inventive ball from strike partner 
Marlet, galloped clear before dragging wide on the stroke of 
half-time.

The home side were always a threat with Zola lurking in the 
void behind Hasselbaink and Gudjohnsen.

Three minutes into the second period, Hasselbaink found 
Zola's feet, allowing the Italian to turn and send a shot that 
lacked power into van der Sar's grasp.

In contrast to the first half, chances were scarce after 
the interval.

Emmanuel Petit, who hobbled off the field moments later, 
volleyed straight at van der Sar as a cross was cleared to the 
edge of the area.

And Cudicini touched round the post as Saha tried his luck 
from the right-side of the area.

Coaxed forward by John Collins, however, Fulham hauled 
themselves level again with 17 minutes left.

Collins sought out Marlet's pace down the left and the 
France international forward checked his run and picked out 
Saha, who beat a bizarre bicycle kick from Gallas to head in 
his second of the night.

Ranieri responded immediately by employing his third and 
final substitute, Forssell, in place of Gudjohnsen.

And Forssell continued his phenomenal record coming from 
the bench with his seventh goal from such a position in 12 
games.

Fellow replacement Jesper Gronkjaer lifted into the box and 
Forssell controlled on his chest and swept home with his right 
foot eight minutes from time.