Barclays Premier League, Saturday September 27 2008 at The Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry (c), A Cole; Mikel; Kalou (Anelka h-t). Ballack (Ferreira 89), Lampard, Malouda; Drogba (Belletti 72).
Manager Felipe Scolari.
Stoke (4-4-2): Sorensen; Griffin (c), Cort, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham; Lawrence (Tonge 65), Diao, Olofinjana, Cresswell; Kitson (Fuller 52), Sidibe (Amdy Faye 79).
Manager Tony Pulis

Referee Martin Atkinson.
Crowd 27,500.
Environment Sunny and warm. 3pm kick-off.
Kit Stoke - red and white striped shirts, white shorts and socks.Chelsea - blue shirts, shorts and socks.

First-half.
Kick-off Chelsea
7 Shot Ballack, with the first effort on-target, sees Sorensen tip over his 20-yard attempt.
8 Effort Now Ballack sees his header saved on the line after Stoke struggle to deal with a Chelsea corner.
13 Chance Drogba is the beneficiary of great vision and passing by Lampard but after chesting down, his side-foot shot is blocked by the keeper.
28 Spoken to Terry tussles with Sidibe as the Stoke striker turns halfway inside the Chelsea half. The free-kick is given and referee Atkinson warns the skipper. The set-piece delivery is woefully over-hit.
35 CHELSEA GOAL Bosingwa nets his first for the Blues, a no-nonsense finish from out on the right after he takes Lampard's pass over the top. Mikel had feed Lampard in a swift counter-attack.
Stoppage time 2 min.

Half-time Stoke 0 Chelsea 1

Half-time substitution: Anelka for Kalou who looked troubled by an ankle since a collision with the keeper.
Second-half.
Kick-off Stoke
46 Close Lampard only half-catches a shot from the edge of the area but it rolls just a yard wide with the keeper scrabbling.
46 Woodwork Malouda has a dig from 25 yards that Sorensen deflects onto the bar with his shoulder. Good reactions from the keeper to prevent a good goal.
52 Stoke substitution Fuller for Kitson.
54 Booked Malouda for moving the ball after a free-kick had been awarded.
54 Booked Griffin for pushing Malouda in the chest and over.
59 Clearance Mikel heads away from the Chelsea line after Cort heads on-target. A scramble follows until the ref blows for a foul by Stoke. Chelsea under a spell of pressure.
65 Stoke substitution Lawrence for Tonge.
65 Miss Anelka blazes well-off target after Drogba's through ball gives him sight of the goal on the right.
66 Booked Cresswell for sliding through on Malouda.
72 Chelsea substitution Belletti for Drogba. Anelka moves into the centre.
75 CHELSEA GOAL Anelka turns the ball low past Sorensen after Cort makes a complete hash of his chest control, Bosingwa having crossed from deep. The Blues needed that to dampen Stoke's rising hope.
79 Shot Ballack fires just wide after an attack down the left from Malouda and Anelka.
79 Stoke substitution Amby Faye for Sidebe.
83 Chance Lampard gets his aim wrong and chips casually into the keeper's arms after Ballack chests down a Mikel pass.
89 Chelsea substitution Ferreira for Ballack.
Stoppage time 3 mins.

Unused subs Chelsea: Hilario, Ivanovic, Bridge, Sinclair. Stoke: Simonsen, Whelan, Soares, Sonko.

Shots on target Chelsea 6 Stoke 1
Corners Chelsea 4 Stoke 4
Fouls Chelsea 7 Stoke 10
Offsides Chelsea 1 Stoke 1

Comment The midweek rested players come back but Kalou and Drogba both retain their places, the former a natural replacement for injured Joe Cole. Stoke's much discussed weapon, Rory Delap, is unavailable due to a groin injury so the long-throw bombardment doesn't happen. Chelsea's play lacks precision in the first-half but at the back, we only need to defend a single cross. Lampard is behind all the best chances in the first period, including Bosingwa's goal which is his first for the club. The second-half was more balanced despite Malouda going so close and Anelka's goal was most welcome with Stoke's direct play and their fans building a head of steam. Our sixth away league win on the spin lifts the team to the top of the table ahead of Arsenal's evening kick-off.