Drogba at the double

A Didier Drogba double gave Carlo Ancelotti a winning start as Chelsea boss as they secured a 2-1 triumph over Hull.

Striker's late effort gives Ancelotti a winning start as boss

A Didier Drogba double gave Carlo Ancelotti a winning start as Chelsea manager but he had to wait until injury time to secure a 2-1 triumph over Hull City. The home side enjoyed the vast majority of possession but it looked like they were going to be denied by a brave Tigers performance. However Drogba struck when his chipped cross looped over Boaz Myhill from an acute angle in stoppage time to earn the home side three points. Chelsea, who created a stack of chances, actually trailed when City debutant Stephen Hunt - who was booed throughout for his part in the incident which left Petr Cech with a fractured skull two seasons ago - pounced to coolly slot home on 28 minutes. Drogba levelled with a stunning free-kick nine minutes later and then produced the killer blow late on. The home side should have taken the lead as early as the second minute but Drogba fired wide from six yards after Michael Essien's superb cross fell directly at the feet of the unmarked striker. Hull gave Chelsea a warning in the ninth minute when captain George Boateng shot just wide of Cech's right-hand upright from 20 yards. Four minutes later a cross from Hunt was headed over by Dean Marney. The Hull midfielder was allowed to ghost into the penalty unmarked and should have done better with his finish. Cech then had to be alert to save another shot from Boateng as the Tigers began to find some success in the attacking third. Hull had weathered the early Chelsea storm and had been far from second best. Chelsea looked impressive going forward in their diamond formation but the same could not be said for the defensive element of the system. The home side's failure to clear a free-kick in the 27th minute cost them dearly. Chelsea had been upset at the free-kick awarded by Alan Wiley when the official insisted that Jose Bosingwa had tugged the shirt of Hunt. It got worse for the Blues when Andy Dawson sent the free-kick towards the Chelsea penalty area.

Cannoned

It was only half-cleared to Boateng on the edge of the area and his shot cannoned off both Ashley Cole and Mikel before falling to Hunt to apply an easy finish into an unguarded net. The Blues were level in the 37th minute thanks to a superb free-kick strike by Drogba. Seyi Olofinjana was penalised by Wiley for holding off Mikel 25 yards out and Drogba punished them severely when he sent a dipping shot over the defensive wall and into the right corner. Myhill then had to dive low to his left to prevent Essien from giving Chelsea the lead five minutes before the interval. Ancelotti's side should have gone in front within seconds of the re-start. Drogba set up strike partner Nicolas Anelka perfectly but the France international failed to beat Myhill from six yards. In the 56th minute Myhill twice denied Drogba with stunning saves as the Ivory Coast international looked for his second goal of the game. In the 68th minute Hull replaced Hunt with new signing Kamel Ghilas to a chorus of boos from the Chelsea fans and the Blues substituted Malouda, bringing on Deco. Essien almost gave Chelsea the lead in the 74th minute but his 20-yard volley was narrowly wide of the target. Bosingwa then brought a fine diving save from Myhill as his effort looked to creep in. Substitute Salomon Kalou, on for Anelka, then headed over from Deco's cross as Chelsea chased a winner. But Drogba scored a vital winner two minutes into added time when he somehow chipped the ball over Myhill and into the far corner from an acute angle.

Chelsea	Team Statistics	Hull City
2	Goals	1
1	1st Half Goals	1
10	Shots on Target	2
17	Shots off Target	4
6	Blocked Shots	2
12	Corners	4
14	Fouls	16
2	Offsides	2
1	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	0
85.8	Passing Success	68.4
16	Tackles	23
62.5	Tackles Success	69.6
69.3	Possession	30.7
59.8	Territorial Advantage	40.2