Chelsea's Joe Cole scuttles Rovers

While home hero David Bentley produced a bravura performance to put down a marker with new England manager Fabio Capello, Joe Cole snatched the breakaway goal that made the difference.

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Ewood Park on a freezing December day was never to Jose Mourinho's taste but his successor Avram Grant has set up his side to block and frustrate even the toughest opponents — and so it proved for Rovers.

Chelsea protected their lead well, even after losing goalkeeper Petr Cech with almost half an hour to go, but were fortunate to get back on the winning trail after Arsenal ended their 16-match unbeaten run.

Mark Hughes' side have now lost four in a row but have also lacked the rub of the green on several occasions. The die was cast from the first few minutes when Morten Gamst Pedersen delivered his best corner for a long time. It proved as unplayable for his team-mates as for Cech and skidded wide.

Bentley, who was in inspired form, then stepped up to thump a rising drive inches over Cech's bar.

When Bentley's free kick after 11 minutes hit the top of the bar and Roque Santa Cruz fired a foot wide of the far post after the winger's fine run and pass, Chelsea had still not bothered Brad Friedel.

They put that right soon enough. Andriy Shevchenko was off target with a swivelling shot from a poorly-cleared corner but Cole was far more accurate with Chelsea's winner after 21 minutes.

Blackburn again showed their Achilles heel of being too easily caught on the counter-attack as Salomon Kalou's sublime diagonal ball sliced them open to allow Cole to smash his shot past Friedel.

Rovers responded with gusto, only for Cech to make an impressive reaction save to turn Steven Reid's effort against the bar after Bentley's free kick squirted off the defensive wall.

But Chelsea were also cursing their fortune, and veteran Friedel's reflexes, 10 minutes from half-time. Blackburn's defence opened up so obligingly for Frank Lampard to surge through, it was as if they had decided he should have his 100th Chelsea goal for Christmas. Friedel clearly wasn't in on the wheeze.

Zurab Khizanishvili, returning at the back for the suspended Chris Samba, went to the other end to drop a looping header on to the roof of the net but the momentum was now with the visitors.

Blackburn needed a superb if risky tackle in the penalty area from Dunn to stop Michael Essien benefiting from a smart bout of Chelsea passing on the hour which could have stretched their lead.

But Chelsea were dealt a blow after 64 minutes when Cech, who had collided with Santa Cruz in punching clear soon after the restart, had to be led off following prolonged treatment on the pitch earlier.

Cech, who has worn a helmet since fracturing his skull in a collision at Reading 14 months ago, appeared to have sustained a hip injury and made way for his deputy Hilario.

The Portuguese, playing his first match in nearly a year, managed to mistime his punch from the first corner he faced, offering Blackburn the sudden hope of exploiting the changeover.

But when Santa Cruz sent in a fierce header from Bentley's cross, Hilario produced a textbook one-handed save diving to his left, and any Chelsea worries in that direction evaporated.

Friedel had to be at his best to prevent Lampard reaching his century, pulling off a smart save to deny the Chelsea midfielder, who was booed by Blackburn fans.

Indeed, as if to underline Sol Campbell's complaints about the modern fan culture, at one corner stewards had to keep fans at bay as they crowded at the wall to hurl insults in Lampard's direction.

Chelsea frustration spilled over when Essien's goalbound header from a corner was inadvertently blocked by Cole and Ricardo Carvalho was booked for a spat with Friedel after a melee developed.

They saw the game out, complete with six minutes added on, in a studied and at times cynical example of running down the clock that will win Grant's team efficiency awards but no new friends.

Hughes will surely get Blackburn back on track but yesterday's outfield bench — Robbie Savage, Benni McCarthy, Aaron Mokoena and Jason Roberts — might all be missing by the start of next season.

BLACKBURN (4-4-1-1): Friedel 7; Emerton 5, Khizanishvili 7, Nelsen 6, Warnock 5; Dunn 6, Tugay 5 (Roberts 74min, 6), Reid 6, Pedersen 6; Bentley 8; Santa Cruz 5. Booked: Dunn.

CHELSEA (4-1-4-1): Cech 7 (Hilario 64, 6); Ferreira 6, Alex 7, Carvalho 7, A Cole 6; Essien 6; J Cole 6 (Pizarro, 82), Lampard 7, Mikel 6, Kalou 6; Shevchenko 5 (Wright- Phillips 66, 5). Booked: Alex, Carvalho.

Man of the match: David Bentley.

Referee: Steve Bennett.