FA Cup - Anelka hat-trick in Chelsea win

Eurosport - Sun, 15 Feb 11:24:00 2009

New manager Guus Hiddink saw Nicolas Anelka score a late hat-trick to help Chelsea come from behind to beat a battling Watford 3-1 and move into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 FA Cup Chelsea Miroslav Stoch Nicolas Anelka - 0

Chelsea had dominated the match but found themselves behind when Tamas Priskin came off the bench to score with almost his first touch just after the hour-mark.

However, with Hiddink watching from the comfort of the stands alongside owner Roman Abramovic, Anelka hit back almost immediately before heading in a second 80 seconds later to break the dogged resistance of the Championship side.

Jobi McAnuff missed a golden chance to level in the dying seconds before Chelsea went upfield and the France striker sealed his hat-trick to ensure stand-in boss Ray Wilkins did not preside over an embarrassing loss in his only game in charge before Hiddink takes the reigns.

Chelsea began tentatively and in the seventh minute Didier Drogba brought a fine save from Scott Loach with a 30-yard half-volley that looked destined for the top corner.

After a slow start, the Championship side began to match Chelsea as the half went on with Grzegorz Rasiak putting himself about and McAnuff testing the Chelsea back line with some direct running from midfield.

However, Chelsea were asking more of the questions, although most of their efforts on goal came from distance, Loach pulling off another super save from Frank Lampard's free-kick after Drogba had been fouled 25 yards from goal.

Not until the 33rd minute did Chelsea really get behind the Watford defence, Drogba's flick on allowing Anelka to get a sight of goal - although the France striker saw his shot come back off the far post.

The second half saw further pressure on the Watford goal with Chelsea winning corner after corner.

But when Priskin sprinted on to McAnuff's through ball and clipped the ball over the on-rushing Cech on the 67th minute, it looked as though Chelsea would be made to pay for their failure to convert their pressure into goals.

However, Anelka levelled just four minutes later, brilliantly hooking over his head and into the top corner after a corner was flicked on to him at the back post.

And with Watford reeling, Anelka added a second just over a minute later when he stooped to head Ashley Cole's left-wing cross past Loach.

Chelsea relaxed in the closing stages, and McAnuff should have stunned the Premier League giants with a second but he fired straight at Cech when 10 yards out.

And the visitors went straight upfield to settle the matter with Anelka's third, turning and firing a low shot inside the far post after he had been picked out by Salomon Kalou after a strong run down the right.

Alex Sharratt / Eurosport

Comment 100 - 119 of 119

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  1. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!­ ANELKA

    From KEVIN, on Tue 17 Feb 10:39AM

  2. i will continue to be part and parcel of chelsea­ football club till the end of the road.

    From national president u, on Tue 17 Feb 10:13AM

  3. chelsea 4life

    From national president u, on Tue 17 Feb 10:12AM

  4. It's amazing reading some of these comments. The­ fall of chelsea is the beginning of its strenght. it­ will groove to the final bus stop with smiles. Up­ Chelsea!! Godwin Tsa-Abuja-Nigeria

    From olakunle o, on Mon 16 Feb 2:20PM

  5. GOOD TO SEE CHELSEA DOING IT AGAIN,AM SO HAPPY FOR U­ GUYS PLS RIDE ON ,BY GOD'S GRACE SKY IS JUST THE­ LIMIT
    WE'LL REMAIN A WINNER THIS SEASON

    From 4real, on Mon 16 Feb 12:10PM

  6. 145, sorry oh but i really dont think you saw the­ actual game. Watford was caged in thier own shell­ throughout - thank God for that goal but the goal­ killed your resistance....We Blues dominated throughout­ and thats the absolute fact!

    From beautyAngellol, on Sun 15 Feb 1:46PM

  7. hi 145,dear emily,wot game was you watching,chels were­ all over your lot like a rash,finks you were watching­ it with yellow tinted glasses on. lol, love from steve­ CFC

    From stephen r, on Sun 15 Feb 1:26PM

  8. Sorry but last night Chelsea did not dominate! They­ played well but Watford weren't completely thumped,­ we had lots of chances and Chelsea only started to have­ most of the possesion in the second half.
    To say they­ dominated is not true...ggrrrrr
    :)

    From emily.lupton, on Sun 15 Feb 12:02PM

  9. I can't understand these Liverpool fans. ­ They've been boxing above their weight for years. ­ They're a two man team, Torres and Gerrard, but­ soon to be a one man team when Gerrard gets potted for­ the assault. They'll have to hold on hard to­ Torres at the end of the season when they win nothing­ again. A player like him is only loyal to a trophy­ winning club. Get real muppets.

    From Blue is the colour, on Sun 15 Feb 11:51AM

  10. The Premiership's top goalscorer this season­
    ANELKA!

    From joeypyle, on Sun 15 Feb 11:26AM

  11. to LIN H ..THIS IS A VERY PHYSICAL GAME.... so­ don't expect to see all players don't get­ fouled and make fouls.... ITS PART OF THE GAME­ cant' you see.....
    re DIRTY FOULS? all clubs have­ done it.. nobody perfect....
    they are but humans you­ know... they make mistakes.....

    From rose, on Sun 15 Feb 11:22AM

  12. CHELSEA WILL RULE..... ANELKA UR SUPER.. AMAZING GOALS­ U MADE........
    CHELSEA GO GO GO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

    From rose, on Sun 15 Feb 11:08AM

  13. congrates to all players and chelsea­ fans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From Musa, on Sun 15 Feb 11:01AM

  14. TO mugpgits..... REMEMBER MY PREDICTIONS... one down..­ CHELSEA WILL WIN ALL MATCHES..
    GREAT TEAM WILL ALWAYS­ BE GREAT... CHELSEA WILL RULE AGAIN...... sorry guys­ but CHELSEA will disappoint you unbelievers.....­ lol....
    CHELSEA 4-EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

    From rose, on Sun 15 Feb 11:01AM

  15. Chelsea is the best team.we pass and possession of over­ 80% at the start of the match.they played­ wonderful.Blues will comback.i hope they will have nice­ manager.no one can beat us

    From George, on Sun 15 Feb 10:39AM

  16. Chelsea are about to sink into oblivion they won't­ last another 3 years in the Prem. Their so called­ 'fans' won't even last that long. Chelski­ are going to be the funniest club in the Prem next year­ after the Newcastle wife beaters go down....

    From jowitherden, on Sun 15 Feb 10:12AM

  17. Chelsea for life......... we are heading forward. Ride­ on Boys!!!!!!!!!!!! Someone was saying wsmall club.is­ it easy to come back from behind and scored 3­ goals???????? red devil was beaten by coventry cith at­ old trafford last season. so there is no small club.­ Chelse 4 life. Haykins 4rm Naija

    From sean.bro11, on Sun 15 Feb 10:06AM

  18. If chelsea was such a good club as you argue then tell­ us how many tropies they've in their­ groove.
    Everyone knows, its a hit and run kind of a­ club and its fans just broke away from assenal, manutd­ and liverpoop. Get up and count your already hatched­ chicks, three? Get a stint.

    From Majoser, on Sun 15 Feb 9:43AM

  19. col

    From Nath, on Sun 15 Feb 9:23AM

  20. DIRTIEST PLAYERS AROUND, THEY CAN'T PLAY WITH­ FOULING AND THEY MAKE IT SO OBVIOUS... THEY PLAYED A­ SMALLER CLUB AND STILL FOUND THE GAME HARD...THEY JUST­ GET LUCKY, ITS NOT DOWN TO BEING ABLE TO PLAY FOOTIE.

    From L H, on Sun 15 Feb 8:21AM
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