Damien Duff maintained Chelsea's advantage at the top of the Barclays Premiership with the only goal against Aston Villa today.

Chelsea were given plenty to think about by a hard-working Villa side at Stamford Bridge but Duff's first-half strike proved the difference.

The Irishman netted on the half hour after a rare lapse by Villa allowed Arjen Robben to break from halfway.

Chelsea had chances to make the game safe with a second goal but Villa also frustrated them for large periods.

Jose Mourinho's side had gone into the game in good spirits after hammering Norwich 4-0 and they had the first opportunity of a fluid first half when Robben skipped around Mark Delaney in the box.

The Dutchman pulled the ball back across the face of goal but Eidur Gudjohnsen could not convert.

John Terry headed over from a free-kick moments later but Villa also had an early chance when Ulises de la Cruz headed into Juan Pablo Angel's path but the Colombian collided with William Gallas.

Both sides tried their luck from distance with the hard-working Lee Hendrie, back from suspension, first having a shot comfortably saved by Petr Cech.

Duff then went close at the other end when a well-struck shot from outside the box drifted just wide.

Villa were clearly not intimidated by their opponents and Angel and Hendrie linked well up front.

Twice more Hendrie shot straight at Cech after being teed up Angel outside the area.

Duff worked hard in the box to create Chelsea's next opening but then wasted his efforts when he chipped a tame cross too close to Thomas Sorensen.

Chelsea were being given little time on the ball by Villa but the visitors switched off for a moment in the 30th minute and paid the full price.

Robben took full advantage of what was a rare gap in midfield and broke from halfway to slip the ball into the path of Duff.

Villa were caught out and the Irishman cut inside and fired low past the wrong-footed Sorensen.

Chelsea then stepped up the pressure but Frank Lampard chose to pass instead of shooting when a good chance came his way.

Terry was also just inches away from doubling the lead in the last minute of the first half after being given a free header from a Robben corner.

Villa had surprisingly gone into the game with Nolberto Solano on the bench but manager David O'Leary took the opportunity to introduce him just before the break after Delaney suffered a knock.

Chelsea had the first chance of the second half when Duff curled in a dangerous low cross but Gallas was well wide with his diving header.

Villa were still playing with confidence themselves however and had a claim for a penalty ignored when Mathieu Berson struck a fierce shot at Terry. Referee Peter Walton ruled there was no deliberate hand-ball.

The game continued to flow and Villa had a let-off when defender Liam Ridgewell sliced a clearance over his own bar after Tiago combined well with Paulo Ferreira on the left.

Frustration began to creep into the Villa game and Gareth Barry was booked for pulling Gudjohnsen back.

Gudjohnsen was agonisingly close to adding a second on 64 minutes after being played through by Lampard. The Iceland striker just got in a shot but Sorensen did enough to divert it wide.

It proved to be Gudjohnsen's final act as he was replaced by Didier Drogba a minute later.

Villa had become a bit scrappy but they broke Chelsea's growing momentum when they won a free-kick just inside the home side's half.

The ball was played to Solano and he gave Cech something to think about with a blistering shot from distance but the 'keeper saved well.

Chelsea had a chance to settle the match when Robben broke into the area with 15 minutes remaining but his cross beat Drogba.

Villa showed some spark late on but struggled to create a meaningful opportunity in front of goal.

Terry was booked late on for a crude challenge on Peter Whittingham but the resulting free-kick came to nothing.

Teams

Chelsea: Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Gallas, Terry, Bridge, Lampard, Makelele, Tiago, Duff (Smertin 80), Gudjohnsen (Drogba 66), Robben (Johnson 90).

Subs Not Used: Kezman, Cudicini.

Booked: Robben, Tiago, Terry.

Goals: Duff 30.

Aston Villa: Sorensen, De la Cruz, Mellberg, Delaney (Solano 45), Ridgewell, Barry, Hendrie (Luke Moore 80), Davis, Berson, Whittingham, Angel.

Subs Not Used: Postma, Drobny, Stefan Moore.

Booked: Solano, Ridgewell, Mellberg.

Att: 41,950

Ref: P Walton (Northamptonshire).