BRIDGE: THE PLEASURE AND THE PAIN
You wait three years for a goal to come along and when it does, you're face down on the turf rather than admiring your work. That was the Wayne Bridge experience at Wycombe.
A 40/1 bet to score the first goal with Chelsea's online betting partner Coral before kick-off, the England international's chances of finding the net were increased with his surprise selection as one of the front three players.
His previous goal the legendary Clock End strike at Highbury in April 2004, Bridge duly opened the scoring at Adams Park last night, suffering a clash of heads with Ricardo Batista a fraction of a second after lifting the ball over the keeper.
'It is always nice to score goals, especially when you don't score them that often but I couldn't even celebrate - which was a bummer!' Bridge told Chelsea's official radio partner Smooth FM 102.2 after the game.
'I just remember Kalou getting the ball so I made a run, and he put a quality ball through so I just knocked it over the keeper's head. I didn't see it go in, I was on the deck and that is all I can remember.
'There was a little bit of blood. I changed shirts and had three stitches put in but it is only a little scratch.'
'It was different,' he agreed about his selection at what José Mourinho described as 'outside-left'.
'I played midfield in the last game and up front this time. I just like to play and if I get the chance to play, I am happy wherever.'
Despite his goal, Bridge declared himself disappointed it didn't give Chelsea a lead to take into the second-leg. Before that match however, there are vital Premiership encounters with Wigan and Liverpool.
With Ashley Cole suspended for the first of those games, the odds this time are on Bridge returning to a more familiar left-back role on Saturday.
'We have to get back to winning ways and that is something that must start straight away against Wigan,' he says.
There are still a few tickets on general sale for Saturday's 3pm kick-off against Wigan.
