Football: Hoddle frustrated by Kiwomya

Chelsea. . . . . . .1

Peacock 24

Ipswich Town. . . . 1

Kiwomya 56

Attendance: 12,508

CHELSEA'S first goal for 391 minutes precipitated predictable celebrations at Stamford Bridge yesterday but another, more cloying emotion - a familiar one of frustration - soon set in. Defensive frailties, allied to occasional woeful exhibitions of tactical naivety and basic inability, undermined Chelsea's ambitions, allowing Ipswich to acquire a modicum of control and then parity in the second half.

By the end of the game, which flickered with life only in spasms, some Blues supporters were haranguing individual players. 'Get Hall off,' one shouted. 'Get Newton off,' came a voice nearby. 'Get them all off,' another concluded. Glenn Hoddle sympathised, and gave his team a substantial piece of his mind afterwards. 'It will stay private, ' Hoddle said after his players had picked up only their second point out of a possible 30. 'But I made some points to them.'

The points looked to be Chelsea's in the first half when they moved forward with confidence, although their finishing portrayed a nervous knowledge of the barrenness of recent performances. Tony Cascarino, preferred to the younger Neil Shipperley, nearly engineered the opening early on with a low shot which was well saved by Craig Forrest.

Even Gareth Hall, the hosts' trundling right-back, was prepared to let fly near goal and this positive approach by Chelsea's players brought them a deserved lead midway through the first half. Dennis Wise, an influential contributor until a dead leg restricted his mobility, clipped in a corner from the right to the near post. Few people in the Premiership can outjump Frank Sinclair - who is only a modest 5ft 8in but possesses a leaping prowess which many basketball players would admire - and his headed flick was forced over the line by a jubilant Peacock.

The burden lifted, Chelsea played like a team ready to climb away from the relegation trap. Hall and David Hopkin, who gave one of his more forceful displays, both tested Forrest early in the second half before the new dawn was exposed as false.

A dreadful mix-up between Dimitri Kharin and his defence allowed Stuart Slater to volley goalwards, Chris Kiwomya diverting the ball's path around Forrest and into the net. 'It was very good anticipation by Chris,' Mick McGivern, the Town manager, said. Hoddle was less impressed. 'We gave them the goal,' he said.

Suitably inspired, Ipswich took the game to the hosts. Eddie Youds forced Kharin into a spectacular tip-over and John Wark headed against an upright, while Slater, having been brilliantly released by Neil Thompson's through-ball in the inside- left channel, should have done better than curl his shot wide.

Chelsea had their moments to win it late on. Mark Stein, a pounds 1.5m purchase who has looked ill at ease with a step up in class, showed some of his old Stoke form but was denied twice by Forrest, who first tipped a dipping shot over and then dived at Stein's feet.

'Mark Stein proved to me that he has the ability,' Hoddle emphasised. What Stein and Chelsea need is a slice of luck, a touch of belief and Hoddle himself back among them.

(Photograph omitted)