Stoke 0 Chelsea 4: Jon Walters horror show helps Chelsea claim easy victory

Jonathan Walters scored two own goals and missed a penalty either side of a Frank Lampard spotkick and an Eden Hazard thunderbolt.

The Potters were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty themselves moments after the restart as referee Andre Marriner pointed at the spot, only for assistant Sian Massey to signal for an offside and for play to continue.

After the game manager Tony Pulis bemoaned his disappointment with the manner of the defeat.

“The second goal kills us,” he said.

“The goals were poor that we conceded.

“Really disappointed with the penalty as well. I know Robert’s (Huth) touched or got his hand on his shoulder but (Juan) Mata’s legs just collapse and I think it was a soft penalty.”

Pulis added: “But, having said that, obviously Jon (Walters) gets two own goals, a penalty and a wonder goal from Hazard. And to be honest for us to lose a game 4-0 — I don’t think that was a 4-0 today.

“It just didn’t go for us today. The referee gives a penalty for Matty (Etherington) at 1-0 and it was offside.

“It’s a good call from the linesman over there on the far side, the lady linesman.

“But again if that goes for you the games one each and we’ve got the impetus.”

For Chelsea the result marked their fifth consecutive away win in the Premier League.

It also gave interim manager Rafa Benitez the chance to give captain John Terry his first competitive run-out since suffering knee ligament damage against Liverpool in November.

The former England captain made an appearance as a second-half substitute and Benitez was confident that it is now only a matter of time before Chelsea’s club captain was back
into contention for a starting place.

The Spaniard said: “I was trying to give him (Terry) some minutes and see how he was because I was watching him the other day with the reserve team against Fulham.

“But that is totally different challenge and then we were playing with five at the back trying to protect him a little bit.

“I think I will have to see how he trains every day and if he has no problems with his knee then it is a question of fitness.”