HALF TIME: Chelsea 1 Blackburn Rovers 0 (From Lancashire Telegraph)

HALF TIME: Chelsea 1 Blackburn Rovers 0

6:19pm Saturday 24th October 2009 in

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GAEL Givet's own goal handed a dominant Chelsea a deserved 1-0 half time against a depleted Blackburn Rovers side.

Missing David Dunn, Chris Samba, Pascal Chimbonda and Franco Di Santo, Rovers struggled to cope with their free-flowing hosts.

Joe Cole should have put the hosts ahead with his first touch on two minutes but, after Frank Lampard's chip had found him unmarked, the England man headed wide from yards out.

Lampard was the next to go close for the hosts on 10 minutes, his brilliant 20-yard strike going inches past Robinson's upright.

Chelsea's pressure continued though and on 19 minutes the deadlock was broken as Givet turned Nicolas Anelka's low cross from the left into his own net.

Rovers' first real effort of the half came on 26 minutes when a long clearance found Jason Roberts on his own up front.

The big striker did well to hold off John Terry before the ball found its way to the onrushing Pedersen, who drilled wide from 20 yards.

Before the break though the effective Lampard headed inches wide before setting Anelka through, only for Robinson to save bravely at his feet.

Petr Cech's air punch from Pedersen's long throw almost gave Rovers an unlikely route back into the game - but it would have been cruel on a Chelsea side who outclassed their visitors.

Robinson kept the visitors in the game in first half injury time, brilliantly blocking John Terry's close range volley.