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Chelsea 1-2 Bolton: Trotters trimuph
( 2003-12-14 10:26) (Agencies)

Bolton became the first team to win at Stamford Bridge in the league this season with this 2-1 victory to help knock Chelsea off the top of the Barclaycard Premiership.

It looked like business as usual for Claudio Ranieri's all-stars when Hernan Crespo headed them in front after 21 minutes.

However, Sam Allardyce's teams are made of sterner stuff and Bruno N'Gotty headed an equaliser after 39 minutes following some slack Chelsea marking at a free-kick.

Allardyce probably would have been delighted with a point, but with just two minutes remaining John Terry deflected a Kevin Davies cross into his own net.

With Manchester United beating Manchester City at lunchtime, it meant that not only did Chelsea fail to win a match after returning from Champions League action for the first time this season, but they also lost top spot.

Chelsea could hardly have expected such a frustrating afternoon, which started with Ranieri bringing back his attacking big guns following their 2-0 victory over Besiktas on Tuesday to win Group G of the Champions League.

Hernan Crespo and Adrian Mutu returned along with winger Damien Duff, with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, William Gallas and Geremi omitted.

Chelsea had the ball in the Bolton net after 13 minutes but the effort was ruled out for handball.

Crespo controlled the ball with his arm before hitting a shot from eight yards which went in off the chest of Simon Charlton, and referee Matt Messias was well placed to make the correct decision.

After a spell of pressure it was no surprise when Chelsea took the lead. Duff sent over an outswinging corner from the right, Terry headed the ball down and towards goal, and Crespo was unmarked inside the six-yard box to head home his sixth Premiership goal.

It was almost two in the 25th minute as Duff raced down the left and delivered a low cross into the six-yard box. Crespo slid in at the far post but was two feet short of making contact.

Mutu went it alone three minutes later with a shot from 25 yards, but it was comfortably over Jussi Jaaskelainen's crossbar.

Chelsea were on cruise control and another attack saw Duff cross a low ball from the left and Charlton just deflect it behind for a corner as Mutu slid in.

However Bolton grabbed a surprise equaliser. Hard-working Kevin Nolan won a free-kick on the right and when Youri Djorkaeff curled it in, N'Gotty was unmarked to power a header past Carlo Cudicini.

It was the first goal Chelsea had conceded at home in the league for six hours and 42 minutes.

Chelsea needed to show patience and bide their time against a resilient Bolton defence, yet it was the visitors who went close after 67 minutes when Per Frandsen's delicate chip from outside the box had to be tipped over by Cudicini.

Chelsea lacked the invention to regain the lead and things nearly went against them as Cudicini had to clear off his line with two minutes remaining with Davies causing panic in the defence.

Then seconds later the unthinkable happened as Davies got the better of Glen Johnson on the left, cut into the box and saw his low cross deflected into his own goal at the near post by Terry.

 
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