Chelsea 2 Wigan 1: Di Matteo's team grind out controversial win to keep pace in race for top-four

By Rob Draper for The Mail on Sunday

Published: 10:55 EST, 7 April 2012 | Updated: 17:57 EST, 7 April 2012

How to judge Chelsea at the moment? On results, some would say, in which case Barcelona should be very afraid. But on the substance of their recent performances?

On that measure, Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final opponents should be booking their flights to the Munich final already.

Pain from Spain: Juan Mata pounced in stoppage time to secure a valuable win for Chelsea over Wigan

Taking the more positive view, Chelsea recorded a vital win yesterday that keeps them in the hunt for a Champions League spot even though they were without John Terry, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Ramires, all of whom would start if fit.

However, they needed the benefit of one on the worst refereeing  decisions of the season to score their first and another offside goal in added time to overcome relegation-threatened Wigan.

Pity poor Wigan. They were organised, effective and hard working.

And they were worth the point that would have lifted them out of the bottom three for the first time since early December, but were on the wrong end of some abysmal officiating.

The first and worst decision came in the 62nd minute. Wigan cleared a Juan Mata free-kick before Raul Meireles turned the ball back in. No matter, it seemed, for the Chelsea raiders had been extremely lax in getting back onside.

Appeals: Wigan were furious that Branislav Ivanovic's goal was allowed to stand

 

At least two, Didier Drogba and Branislav Ivanovic, were offside, so when the Serb stuck out a leg and turned the ball in, it seemed irrelevant. But no flag came from linesman Dave Bryan and referee Mike Jones did not have the confidence to over-rule.

Wigan were aghast. It is rare to see an entire side surround an assistant referee. Antolin Alcaraz and Franco Di Santo led the charge and Gary Caldwell was the angriest, with good reason. It was a straightforward  decision and an awful error.

Use your eyes! Wigan protests were led by Gary Caldwell after Ivanovic's opener

 

More was to come. Chelsea’s 92nd-minute winner came when substitute Fernando Torres hit a terrific volley from the edge of the box on to a post. Mata followed up to finish but from an offside position.

‘It’s a very, very difficult pill to swallow,’ said Wigan manager  Roberto Martinez. ‘We’ve had too many times this season when clear, clear calls that have been against us. It’s not a matter of opinion.’

Safe hands: Ali Al Habsi had to be at his best to keep out Gary Cahill's stinging drive

He was thinking of Conor Sammon’s red card at Manchester United, later rescinded, and Junior Hoillet’s goal for Blackburn from Morten Gamst Pederson’s incorrectly taken corner.

‘I don’t want to get into that debate, that it’s very easy to referee against little Wigan. But you should get  better decisions than that.’

Head for heights: Didier Drogba added a powerful ingredient to Chelsea's attack in place of Fernando Torres

Wigan were good but, for long spells, Chelsea were extraordinarily lame. Florent Malouda’s touch was awful and he was withdrawn after an hour. Mata aside, there was no creativity. Daniel Sturridge was anonymous and a 77th-minute miss brought jeers from home fans. Michael Essien looks tired and Meireles was ineffective.

Roberto Di Matteo recognised as much. He said: ‘I think there was a concern there might be a hangover from the Champions League game, and even though I tried to make some changes to energise the team, in the first half we didn’t get into the game.

Scrappy: For much of the first half there was precious little, bar the odd challenge, to excite the crowd

‘Every game people say, “You need to win today”. We are in a position, unfortunately, where we have to win. We’re pleased we got the three points even though it wasn’t a sparkling  performance. I think that shows the strength of the team.’

Di Matteo said he had not seen replays of the goals but did concede: ‘Wigan were really unlucky not to get something because they played very well, despite the decisions.’

Causing trouble: The in-form Victor Moses was a constant thorn in the side of Chelsea's midfield

The first half had little to commend it, an effort from Gary Cahill and an interchange between Mata and Drogba aside.

Al Habsi did well to block Mata’s shot and Maynor Figueroa even better to clear Drogba’s rebound off the line. Just before half-time Al Habsi tipped over a Drogba header.

Muscled out: Fernando Torres had precious little impact after coming on as a substitute

Al Habsi then blocked a Drogba effort from a delightful Mata chip before Chelsea’s controversial opener. But a minute after his goal, Ivanovic got back to hack Di Santo’s shot off the line. And when Mohamed Diame received the ball just outside the area on 82 minutes and drove the ball past Petr Cech, it seemed justice had been done.

Wigan might have even gone ahead had Sammon managed to connect with a Victor Moses’ cross or had Caldwell decided to head Ben Watson’s cross when he had a clear sight on goal, rather than bring it down, allowing David Luiz to clear.

Thanks for coming: John Terry and Ashley Cole sat behind the bench for most of the game before making an early exit

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