Unlikely saviour Mark Nicholls came off the bench to breathe life into
Chelsea's fading championship challenge as Ruud Gullit proved he does have a
part to play on the pitch.
Gullit had watched for an hour as his men had looked set to become the third
leg of a stunning hat-trick of triumphs for Gordon Strachan's Sky Blues.
Paul Telfer's first half strike - only Coventry's fourth away league goal of
the season - was no less then they deserved after Darren Huckerby's pace had
unhinged Gullit's men.
Even after Nicholls replaced the unhappy Danny Granville at the break Chelsea
were going nowhere, before Gullit sent himself into action as an emergency
striker in place of a below-par Gianfranco Zola.
Within 10 minutes the game was utterly changed as two superb crosses from the
ever-willing Graeme Le Saux were converted by the 20-year-old Nicholls.
The first was simple enough, the substitute unmarked eight yards out as the
England man delivered a fine ball from the flank.
But the second showed a real striker's instinct, as Nicholls threw himself at
Le Saux's near-post ball to direct a flicked volley across Marcus Hedman and
into the corner of the net.
And Nicholls then showed he has more to his game as well as he passed up the
opportunity to claim real glory by setting up Roberto Di Matteo for the
clincher.
It was hardly a vintage performance - for far too long Chelsea had been
decidedly less than average - and a little tough on the visitors, who lost their
way after the break despite the introduction of Viorel Moldovan.
But Chelsea will not be bothered by that after taking advantage of Blackburn's
inactivity to move into second place behind United.
It had been Huckerby who killed off Manchester United and led Liverpool a
merry dance, and his pace unsettled Chelsea from the opening.
The absence of flu-hit Dan Petrescu and Luca Vialli - especially the Romanian
- left the home side lop-sided, and although they did create two early chances,
they were never comfortable.
Le Saux, a beacon of light, was involved in both, racing onto Granville's
quick throw to centre for Mark Hughes to head lazily over, and then throwing
himself at Steve Clarke's cross.
But Hedman was equal to the task with a diving parry, and Dennis Wise failed
to turn home.
Huckerby had already hinted that his sheer speed might be the key, Clarke
forced into a desperate clearance after the former Newcastle man had roasted
Michael Duberry.
He thought he had claimed the opener in the 26th minute, turning home after Ed
De Goey had completely missed Telfer's corner, although referee Mike Reed spared
the Dutchman's blushes by ruling Dion Dublin had fouled him.
Within a minute, it was Huckerby's inaccuracy that let him down after he had
outmuscled the suspect Frank Leboeuf, but he did force Duberry into the hurried
clearance which gave Salako possession before Telfer's strike.
Even so, Granville should have done better when the ball came over, his
hesitation proving fatal as Telfer stole in to drill home.
Chelsea, a pale shadow of the side which had been the epitome of Gullit's
"sexy football" ideal before Christmas, were struggling for ideas.
Leboeuf did find a Wise corner falling at his feet before the break, Hedman
again getting a hand on the ball after the Frenchman's shot had first been
deflected by Paul Williams.
But Coventry's biggest problem seemed like to be a lack of discipline, Mr Reed
showing his card to five men.
Gullit realised he had to act, sending on Nicholls for the errant Granville at
the break and reverting to three at the back.
But for all Chelsea's pressure, they failed to test Hedman, thanks mainly to
the sterling efforts of Gary Breen, a tower of strength at the back.
Wise did have one shot blocked after the hard-working Le Saux had escaped down
the left, yet Chelsea were too intricate for their own good.
Strachan, sensing the moment, sent on Moldovan for his debut, the £3.25million
signing replacing Salako, but it was Gullit's decision to put himself into the
fray that made the crucial difference.
Suddenly, where Zola had been invisible, the player-boss gave a focus to the
Chelsea attack - and left Coventry paying the ultimate price for twice ignoring
Nicholls.
The chances still needed to be finished however, and the youngster, who had
only claimed his first league strike against Spurs last month, deserved credit
for proving himself equal to the task.
Even more so for passing up the opportunity himself to provide Di Matteo with
his sixth of the season, Hughes' dummy leaving the Italian all alone.
Nicholls was close later on, heading over from yet another Le Saux ball into
the box, and although Coventry pressed for some consolation, Moldovan coming
close to a debut strike, they seemed to accept it was not their day.
Teams:
Chelsea: De Goey, Leboeuf, Clarke, Lambourde, M. Hughes, Wise,
Duberry, Le Saux, Di Matteo, Granville (Nicholls 46),
Zola (Gullit 60).
Subs Not Used: Hitchcock, Flo, P. Hughes.
Booked: Duberry, Clarke.
Goals: Nicholls 65, 70, Di Matteo 78.
Coventry: Hedman, Shaw, Burrows, Williams, Breen, Huckerby,
Whelan, Dublin, Salako (Moldovan 58), Telfer, Boland.
Subs Not Used: Ogrizovic, Soltvedt, Haworth, Strachan.
Booked: Salako, Huckerby, Dublin.
Goals: Telfer 30.
Att: 34,647
Ref: M D Reed (Birmingham).
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