Latics went to the capital with a game plan and for 55 minutes it worked. The work rate and the attacking formation stifled Chelsea and didn't let them play in the way we all know they can.

This wasn't the Blues having an off day, this was good tactics and although it nearly backfired, the bravery shown by Steve Bruce by putting on three strikers at the end was evident to everybody.

The first half was a real test of concentration which was nearly undone in the first five minutes as Anelka guided his header wide from 6 yards with the goal beckoning.

This only seemed to kick Latics in to life and as the half went on gave as good as they got. Both Scharner and Valencia had good efforts well saved whilst Bent and Heskey caused havoc.

It was the introduction at half time of Joe Cole that seemed the trigger for Chelsea. Within 20 seconds he was letting loose Essien down the wing and making Kirkland pull off a fine save.

It was the resurgent Joe Cole that was the catalyst for the goal when after 55 minutes he jiggled his way past a Palacios and Taylor before passing to Anelka who in turn laid the ball off to Essien who drove it into the goal.

Latics were then under the cosh for about twenty minutes and saw John Terry rattle the crossbar and have wave after wave of attack swatted out.

Kirkland was in excellent form and pulled off several world class saves to keep us in the match.

Then came the bravery as Bruce elected to go with three up front and putting Koumas in the middle.

It proved to be tactical genius as we all of a sudden seemed to get a foothold in the game again.

The chances started to arrive and at one point we must have thought that it wasn't going to be our day. Especially when in the 88th minute Sibierski, clean through on goal only managed to hit it straight at Cech in the Chelsea goal.

But 5 minutes later, deep into stoppage time, came the tonic we deserved. Koumas darted down the left wing and sent his cross into the middle of Chelsea's area.

The cross was pin point and Heskey, celebrating his 400th appearance, placed the ball past Petr Cech and send the Latics fans wild.

It was nothing short of what we deserved and sends us ever closer to safety.

The result did nothing for Chelsea's title aspirations, but I don't really care. If anything it this game showed what they were made of and it wouldn't surprise me if Everton did the same to them on Thursday.

Report by Jason Taylor www.cockneylatic.co.uk