25/09/2004  Middlesbrough 0 Chelsea 1
 
Didier Drogba had one of those afternoons when it appeared as if nothing would go his way - but he still emerged the hero to temporarily fire Chelsea to the top of the Barclays Premiership.

Somehow coach Jose Mourinho's side seem to keep finding a way to win, even though they are playing the kind of football which hardly suggests they will be champions come May.

This was another performance which barely merited the three points, not for a team who have long been tipped to win Premiership and Champions League honours given the vast sums of money lavished upon the squad.

But just Middlesbrough looked like emerging with a creditable point in front of their own fans, Drogba repaid another small slice of his £24million fee with the winner 10 minutes from time.

It was tough luck on Boro who had been resolute throughout, particularly as manager Steve McClaren's plans had been thrown into disarray by the late withdrawals of Szilard Nemeth and Chris Riggott with stomach and thigh problems respectively.

Colin Cooper was brought in at centre back and Doriva into midfield, and it was backs-to-the-wall stuff for McClaren's troops, who were fortunate Mourinho's side are still lacking in the kind of fluency for which fellow title-challengers Arsenal are renowned.

Even with Damien Duff starting his first game of the season on the left, Joe Cole was dropped to the bench - a case of one step forward, one step back for Mourinho who refused to countenance an all-out attacking policy.

After his outspoken comments against Spurs coach Jacques Santini following last week's goalless draw at Stamford Bridge, slamming the Frenchman for his defensive tactics, Boro could not help but defend.

There were numerous half-chances, notably for Alexei Smertin, who saw Mark Schwarzer twice spill firm drives, and in particular for Drogba.

The Ivory Coast international star may wear golden boots, but he is certainly lacking a golden touch as he fired wide, headed over and rapped a rising shot against the underside of the crossbar in the first half.

Chelsea even had the luxury of playing against 10 men for 10 minutes as former Blues striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was caught by the studs of skipper John Terry on the side of the head as he stooped into a bouncing ball.

Hasselbaink refused the apologies of Terry before leaving the field with blood pouring from the wound and requiring 10 stitches prior to returning to rapturous applause from the Boro crowd.

Unsurprisingly, in the intervening period, Chelsea exerted their dominance, but failed to take advantage of their numerical superiority against a Boro side whose injury woes increased when Ray Parlour was stretchered off in the 34th minute.

Such was the control exerted by Chelsea that Middlesbrough failed to muster a single chance, with goalkeeper Petr Cech nothing more than a spectator.

His trouble-free afternoon continued after the break, although he and his team-mates were perhaps confused at the sight of the number four shirt of Ehiogu on the pitch at the start of the second half.

Referee Mark Halsey, who became a pivotal figure in the second period, had ordered Hasselbaink back to the dressing room to replace his blood-stained shirt, and clearly with no replacement available, emerged as 'Ehiogu'.

Chelsea, though, simply lost their way for the majority of the half as they struggled to impose themselves, allowing Boro a degree of composure.

It is another of those maxims, though, that if you are to be winners then you need your share of luck and Mourinho used up some of his in the space of a few minutes midway through the half.

When Stuart Parnaby unleashed a long-range shot, Terry clearly used his upper arm to block, yet despite the cries of 'penalty' which echoed around the ground, Halsey ignored them.

He incurred the wrath of the Boro fans further soon after when Smertin, booked minutes earlier for a shirt tug on another former Chelsea star, pulled another red shirt, that of Joseph-Desire Job.

Yet Smertin was fortunate to only be given a lecture by Halsey rather than the red card which could have been awarded, and Chelsea took advantage of their good fortune.

They found half a gear late on, and it proved too much for Boro because after Schwarzer had been tested by substitutes Mateja Kezman and Tiago, he was then beaten in the 81st minute.

Drogba made amends for his earlier indiscretions by pulling off the back of the defence in receiving a square Lampard free-kick from wide on the right and sidefooting home from 15 yards for his fourth goal of the season.

These days, one goal is all that is required for Chelsea.