BLACKBURN Rovers' FA Cup adventure may have ended in heartbreak at the Theatre of Broken Dreams but Mark Hughes and his players left with their heads held high.

Roared on by a vast sea of blue and white, Rovers were simply magnificent against the millionaires from the King's Road, bouncing back from the set-back of conceding an early Frank Lampard goal to take this thrilling semi-final tie right to the wire.

In the end, only the brilliance of Petr Cech, and a crucial miss from the otherwise excellent Morten Gamst Pedersen, spared Chelsea from elimination as Rovers pressed for a winner during normal time.

But somehow, Jose Mourinho's side survived that late onslaught, and after regrouping at the beginning of extra-time, they then had the audacity to snatch a dream ticket to Wembley themselves, courtesy of the boot of their German international Michael Ballack, which leaves them firmly in the hunt for a clean sweep of four trophies.

However, while the spoils belong to Chelsea, surely the plaudits belong to Blackburn, who so nearly made their own piece of history.

Rovers had already claimed the scalps of three Premiership clubs on their march to the semi-finals, and even Mourinho was forced to concede they so nearly bagged a fourth here - a frank admission from a man not normally known for his humility, either in victory or defeat.

For once, the Stamford Bridge chief humbly lavished praised on his opponents, admitting Rovers had fought like heroes' - words that may possibly be of little consolation to Hughes right now, but in the months to come will surely give the Welshman great heart for next season.

With relief etched all over his face, Mourinho said: "A lot of thoughts go to the opponent, to Mark Hughes, to the Blackburn players, and to the Blackburn crowd.

"They gave us a game. It was not a surprise to me, I have to say that, I was waiting for this, but the game was unbelievable.

"They fought like heroes, like we did, but in football normally the heroes are only the winners."

Hughes, quite rightly, was also immensely proud of the way his players had gallantly performed against a Chelsea side that had lost only one of its previous 33 games in all competitions.

The last time Rovers reached an FA Cup semi-final, against Arsenal at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium two years ago, they were slaughtered in the national press for adopting what many perceived to be bully boy' tactics.

This time, however, only positive press should come Blackburn's way because from half time onwards, they were the side most likely to set up a meeting with Manchester United in the final on May 19.

"Today we've proved to ourselves that we're an exceptional side and that reassures me," said Hughes.

"It's reassuring that I know my players can reach that level of performance.

"Two years ago, we were in the same situation with an FA Cup semi-final, we couldn't compete and the press we had after that game was hard to take.

"Hopefully, the press after this game will give us the type of coverage that we all want to read."

Everyone in red strained every last sinew for the cause on a day when Rovers underlined they can mix it with the Premiership's big boys.

Ryan Nelsen and Chris Samba were two rocks at the back; David Dunn and Aaron Mokoena ran themselves to a standstill in midfield; and Roberts brilliantly rose to the challenge up front.

Great managers are the ones who make big decisions and Hughes was certainly bold in his team selection.

Fearing his side might be over-run in the engine room, Hughes dropped Tugay for the more industrious Dunn in midfield, but the big shock was the selection of Roberts in place of Matt Derbyshire up front.

The former Wigan man hadn't scored all season, but his physical presence gave Rovers a vital outlet up front, particularly in the second half when they went more direct.

Chelsea were the first to settle and Ashley Cole warmed Brad Friedel's fingertips with a scorching angled drive from the left hand side of the box.

The first goal was always going to be pivotal and it duly went Chelsea's way in the 16th minute.

Didier Drogba, a human battering ram in the first half, nodded the ball down to Ballack, who in turn slipped a clever pass inside the right-hand channel for Lampard.

Nelsen gambled on cutting it out but failed to make proper contact, leaving the England midfielder free inside the box, and from that kind of range he simply does not miss: 1-0.

Some sides would have accepted their fate from that point onwards, but not Rovers.

Joe Cole thrashed one effort over the crossbar; then a Stephen Warnock error let in Drogba, but Samba bailed him out with a brilliantly timed tackle.

Inspired by that never-say-die spirit, back came Blackburn again. Dunn drew a flying save out of Cech with a right-foot blockbuster, then Samba planted a towering header over from a Pedersen corner.

Andriy Shevchenko, who was otherwise anonymous, should have given Chelsea valuable breathing space at the beginning of the second half when Drogba put a chance on a plate but 12 yards out, and with the goal at his mercy, he completely fluffed his lines.

That miss seemed to galvanise the men in red and, from then on, they had Chelsea firmly on the rack.

David Bentley suddenly grew in stature and made chances for Roberts and Pedersen, but the irrepressible Cech denied them both.

However, the Chelsea keeper was finally beaten in the 64th minute.

Rovers were awarded a free kick in classic Pedersen territory on the right hand side of the area, and the Norwegian duly delivered, arcing a low left-foot curler in towards the near post.

Roberts was the first to react, darting in front of his marker, and he deftly flicked the ball past Cech: 1-1. Cue a blue and white explosion.

Scenting blood, Rovers went for the jugular. Mokoena blasted over; Pedersen headed wide from six yards out; then Cech somehow arced his back to tip over John Terry's mis-cued header.

Chelsea's quadruple hopes were hanging by a thread. Mourinho was grateful for the full-time whistle and the chance to re-group.

Both sides visibly wilted in an extra-time, but the introduction of Shaun Wright-Phillips provided Chelsea with some extra zest just when they needed it the most.

The England winger's fresh legs carried him past Nelsen and to the bye-line in the 109th minute.

His cross to the near post found Salomon Kalou, whose shot was blocked by a defender, but the ball broke loose to Ballack, and the German thumped it clinically past Friedel.

It was the cruellest of blows on a day when Rovers deserved so much more