A little reality check for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this afternoon. A little reminder that in amongst all the fantasy that surrounds the club these days, some down-to-earth challenges remain the same.

It doesn’t matter how many delicious goal feasts are enjoyed on our travels or how easily we smash fragile objects like Tottenham Hotspur, when teams come to the Bridge all fired up and determined to work hard and stifle, they will often prove as hard as ever to break down.

Villa’s game plan was clear from the off. Abandoning their usual 4-4-2, they strung five across the middle in a shape only previously seen at Highbury this season - and it almost worked.

It certainly ensured scant entertainment for another forty thousand plus crowd but had their lone striker done his job, the west midlanders would have escaped with a draw or even an unlikely win.

But in the end Chelsea came through safely and it was ‘Old Faithful’ who came up with the goods - Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s sixth goal of the season separating the teams.

It came just three minutes before the break, started by Verón who was the quickest to a loose ball, stabbing it out to Mutu. He played it in to Lampard who followed a sharp turn with a sharp shot which Sorensen could only parry into the path of Hasselbaink. From just yards out, the result was inevitable.

That the goal would eventually come had been no certainty, nor did it open the floodgates. In the opening stages Mutu saw an overhead effort blocked and then wasted a clear opportunity when let down by his second touch after being played clear by Lampard.

Then another lofted pass by Petit found the Romanian who this time was true with his footwork, controlling well before cracking a yard or two high and wide.

Duff also went close after taking on the defence and striking low but such penetration was rare.

The central ground was proving hard to win with Villa’s numerical advantage showing, but Chelsea were producing little down the flanks where space should have been available for exploitation.

Both Duff and Verón were producing their best touches infield while Wayne Bridge was finding it difficult to impose himself going forward. Villa came on strong as the break approached.

The influential Hendrie and De La Cruz were not a million miles away with efforts from outside the area but then Jimmy’s strike settled the nerves.

Would the game now open up and Chelsea’s class begin to show? A sloppy start the second period didn’t bode well with a couple of scrambled corners but then a flowing move saw Chelsea break.

Moving the ball straight through the middle via Lampard and Hasselbaink, Duff was sent away by a measured pass in front of the defence. Able to move the ball clear of his marker onto his left, his low shot was tipped wide by a stretching Sorensen.

Then Villa spurned a gift. That rarest of things, a sloppy Lampard pass allowed Angel a clear sight of Cudicini’s goal but getting his, ahem, angles wrong, the Colombian rolled the ball past the far post. It would not be his only chance.

As the game drifted on, neither side looked a convincing bet to add to the score sheet. Changes were needed and it didn’t take long for Vassell to come on for Whittingham to give Villa a more attacking shape.

For Chelsea, Gronkjaer was thrown into the mix in an attempt to bring a threat to our wing play, Mutu coming off with Verón moved to play behind the lone Hasselbaink. There then followed a straight swap of Makelele for Petit.

Still the second goal failed to materialise although the home support did liven up with a bout of sustained singing. Just fifteen minutes remaining, Verón made way for Joe Cole, the youngster’s arrival greeted by a big cheer.

Within minutes he was sent away down the right by a Gronkjaer pass played just before a clattering foul by Samuel (who would be booked). Driving towards goal, Cole’s low driven cross was sliced over the bar by a Villa defender and shortly after a Duff goalbound effort was deflected wide.

This was better but as at the end of the first-half, Villa came on strong and with the points still in balance, the tension began to rise.

In the 88th minute the ball was played in low by De La Cruz, Dublin inadvertently dummied, and Angel beat Gallas only to once again fire badly wide with the goal gapping.

There was no time for sighs of relief as a succession of goalmouth scrambles and corners followed with even Sorensen joining the attack. But thankfully we survived.

Villa won’t be invited into The Beautiful Game Society with displays like this but they may take some minor comfort from reducing the home team to our poorest game of the season so far.

Chelsea on the other hand have just to look at a League record of five wins and one draw for all the comfort we need. We will play better, no doubt very soon, and the bottom line is still looking extremely healthy.

No damage done.

M-O-T-M=Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink