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the youth coach, got outplayed at Southampton.Southampton 2 Chelsea 1: Blues' top-four hopes dealt major blow as Saints stun Benitez's boys on south coast
By Simon Peach, Press Association
PUBLISHED:16:54, 30 March 2013| UPDATED:19:47, 30 March 2013
Chelsea's top-four ambitions suffered a huge setback on Saturday as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Mauricio Pochettino's Southampton side at St Mary's.
Rafa Benitez's side dropped to fourth in the table and hold a precarious two-point advantage over fifth-placed Arsenal, who beat Reading 4-1 at the Emirates, in the race to secure Champions League football next season.
Rickie Lambert celebrated his new Southampton contract in style, smashing home an exquisite free-kick which proved to be the winner.
Dejection: Chelsea's top-four hopes suffered a major blow as they were beaten 2-1 on the south coast
Frustration: Rafael Benitez's side were undone by goals from Jay Rodriguez and Rickie LambertMATCH FACTS
Southampton: Boruc (Kelvin Davis 46), Clyne, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Shaw, Puncheon (Ward-Prowse 62), Schneiderlin, Cork, Steven Davis (Fox 85), Rodriguez, Lambert.
Subs not used:Fonte, Ramirez, Forren, Do Prado.
Goals: Rodriguez 23, Lambert 35.
Booked: Lambert, Schneiderlin.
Chelsea: Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Terry, Bertrand, Mikel (Ramires 71), Lampard, Moses, Oscar (Benayoun 76), Marin (Hazard 60), Torres.
Subs not used: Turnbull, Cole, Luiz, Ba.
Goals: Terry 33.
Booked: Torres.
Att: 31,779.
Referee: Jon Moss (W Yorkshire).
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The 31-year-old has established himself as a firm fans' favourite at St Mary's since joining from Bristol Rovers in August 2009 and has seen his stock rise considerably during his debut top-flight season.
Lambert was rewarded for his performances with a new deal until 2016 during the international break and repaid Southampton in spectacular fashion this afternoon.
Making his 500th career league appearance, the Liverpudlian curled home a spectacular 25-yard free-kick to rack up his 14th league goal of the campaign - more than any other English player in the Premier League.
Saints had gone ahead through another in-form striker Jay Rodriguez, who collected a neat one-two from Steven Davis before slotting home in the 23rd minute.
John Terry was allowed to level unmarked from a corner 10 minutes later, only for Saints to hit back immediately through Lambert's fine strike.
Chelsea peppered the Southampton goal throughout the second half but were unable to find a way past substitute goalkeeper Kelvin Davis, leading to a costly defeat.
Opener: Rodriguez slotted the ball past Petr Cech to give Southampton the lead
The west Londoners made seven changes at St Mary's and struggled to get a foothold on proceedings.
Rodriguez got Southampton's first shot away after less than two minutes and was proving a thorn in the visitors' side early on.
The £6million summer signing has looked rejuvenated since Pochettino arrived and his new-found confidence was epitomised by a fantastic dink over Terry's head on the halfway line, before bursting through on goal and testing Petr Cech.
Back on level terms: John Terry headed home from a corner to equalise for Chelsea
Rodriguez should instead have perhaps played the ball out wide to Jason Puncheon, who soon threatened himself, only to be denied by the onrushing Cech.
Chelsea were struggling to cope with Southampton's attacking intent and Nathaniel Clyne, linked this week with a move to Stamford Bridge, saw a cross-shot blocked by Branislav Ivanovic.
Lambert saw his follow up thwarted but it did not take long for the hosts to get the opener they deserved.
Rodriguez collected the ball after neat team play and play a fine one-two with Steven Davis, before slotting past Cech.
Captain's goal: Chelsea players celebrate their equaliser with skipper TerryBut while Chelsea were far from their best, they were also proving a threat on the counter.
That tactic almost paid dividends when a Maya Yoshida mishap put Fernando Torres through on goal. The Spaniard showed good poise and skill to delicately chip the ball past Artur Boruc, only for his goal to be chalked off for a handball in the build-up.
The disallowed goal kicked off a period of Chelsea dominance and, after Victor Moses saw a cross-shot deflect behind off Luke Shaw, they snatched a 33rd-minute leveller.
Marko Marin sent in the resulting corner and kamikaze defending allowed captain Terry to head home unmarked from six yards.
Sublime: Lambert's beautiful free-kick sailed into the top corner to put the Saints back ahead
Chelsea were level for less than two minutes, though, thanks to a moment of magic from Lambert.
After Steven Davis was fouled by Ryan Bertrand, the 31-year-old stepped up to fire home a thunderous 25-yard free-kick into Cech's top-right hand corner.
Saints continued to press as the half came to a close and returned for the second period in similarly-impressive fashion, with Clyne testing Cech at his near post moments after the restart.
Chelsea, though, were an improved outfit going forward and Kelvin Davis, on at the break for the injured Boruc, saved a Frank Lampard strike well at his near post.
Helpless: Cech couldn't reach Lambert's free kick despite a despairing dive
Clyne blocked a Marin effort as the west Londoners continued to knock on the door, with Kelvin Davis doing fantastically to tip a deflected Moses cross onto the bar and over.
Eden Hazard was introduced as Chelsea searched for another goal as play swung from end to end, with Rodriguez heading over before Jack Cork stopped Lampard.
Moses saw claims for a penalty against Yoshida waved away either side of efforts from Rodriguez and Shaw, before substitute James Ward-Prowse saw a squared ball to Steven Davis cleared at the last.
Response: Lambert scored just two minutes after Terry's equaliser at St Mary's
Anti-Benitez chants echoed around the ground as the 3,181 away supporters' frustrations heightened, with Hazard unfortunate to see a strike fly across the face of the goal.
Lampard tried to score with a backheel and then a free-kick as the Blues continued to press.
But, try as they might, there was to be no equaliser as Saints held on to secure an invaluable three points, much to Chelsea's frustration.
No rest: Benitez must now prepare his side for an FA Cup tie against Manchester United on Monday
Fortress: Mauricio Pochettino's men have beaten Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea at St Mary'sPREMIER LEAGUE TABLE - AS IT STANDS
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