//------------------------------// // Judge and Jury // Story: Over Land and Sea // by Wessexbrony //------------------------------// Friday 4th May “Are you sure you don't want one?” I asked. “I'm sorry,” Derpy replied on the other end of the phone, “But I just wouldn't be able to bear it if we lost and my Muffin was snatched away again.” That was probably to be expected; she’d turned down my offer of an FA Cup Final ticket for the exact same reason. Saturday 5th May “Games against teams fighting relegation tend to go two ways,” I said, as I gave Dinky her plate of microwaveable pancakes, “Either they fight tooth and nail like Southampton did against Man Utd two years ago, or they collapse completely like Norwich did at Fulham that same season.” “So this could be difficult? I know you said not to worry about United, but their goal difference…” “Charlton have been in freefall for weeks,” I replied. “In fact, they’ll go down anyway if West Ham beat Newcastle.” “A huge match at both ends of the table,” Kick Off said, “And two contrasting moods with two matches to go. For Chelsea, the mood is optimistic; they are ecstatic to be in their first ever Champions League Final thanks, in no small part, to that fantastic win in the Nou Camp, and they know that The Treble is now a very real possibility. For Charlton, however, it’s a mood of resignation; not only do they have to win their last two matches, including today’s match at Stamford Bridge, but they have to hope that results elsewhere go their way if they are to avoid relegation…” “We’ll be fine, Dinks,” Rainbow Dash said as we took our seats, “We’ve won at Old Trafford, The Emirates, Anfield and the Nou Camp; this lot shouldn’t be any trouble.” “Well, it’s so far, so good for Chelsea,” Kick Off said as the teams walked onto the pitch, “This is a match they should win, in fact, it’s a match they must win to keep in touch with Manchester United. They cannot afford sympathy at this stage; if Charlton go down, they go down.” “Indeed,” Full Time added, “When you’re chasing three trophies like they are, then if you send a team down along the way, so be it.” Chelsea knew that a big win was vital with United playing later, and in the sixth minute Joe Cole played a one-two with Drogba before getting to the edge of the area and going for goal, only to see his shot parried by Scott Carson and cleared. Six minutes later, Robben took the ball down the left, sending in a cross which was volleyed wide by Joe Cole. In the sixteenth minute, Ballack tackled Reid and passed to Joe Cole, who played the ball to Drogba. Drogba ran to the edge of the area and played in Robben, who sent the ball wide. Two minutes later, Drogba passed to Lampard, who kept the ball moving to Robben. Robben got into the area and centred the ball, only for Ben Thatcher to get to the ball ahead of Drogba and clear it. “Well, Chelsea are all over Charlton,” Kick Off said, as the camera focused on Mourinho in the Chelsea dugout, “But they are still yet to score. You get the feeling that once the first goal comes, more will follow, but it’s a case of getting that first goal.” In the 26th minute, Robben got down the left, before suddenly switching direction and leaving El Karkouri standing. He passed to Lampard, who let fly from the edge of the area. His shot was tipped against the post by Carson, but Drogba raced in to steal the ball from Thatcher and steer the ball into the net to break the deadlock. Four minutes later, as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink looked to set up an attack, Lampard took the ball off his former team-mate and ran through the Charlton half, beating Luke Young before seemingly being stopped by El Karkouri. However, he recovered, and regained possession before shooting from the edge of the area. Carson got his hands to the ball, but was unable to prevent it from going into the net. Just over ten minutes before the break, a Charlton attack broke down, with Terry intercepting the ball and passing it to Makelele. Makelele played the ball to Lampard, who kept it moving to Ballack. Ballack then passed to Joe Cole, who took the ball into the area before sending it across Carson into the top corner of the net. “What a spell by Chelsea!” Kick Off exclaimed, as Joe Cole celebrated, “Three goals in less than ten minutes! Surely no way back for Charlton, who seem to be sinking without trace, from both this match and from the Premier League!” Just before half time, Lampard passed to Ashley Cole, who got down the left before passing to Robben. Robben’s shot deflected off El Karkouri, but Thatcher missed the header and Joe Cole smashed the ball into the top left corner. “Well, I can say that we’ve won this one,” I said, as the teams left the pitch. “But a few more would be good to really erase United’s goal difference advantage.” However, with three vital matches coming up, Mourinho brought Doyle on for Drogba at half time. Seven minutes into the half, Ballack robbed Faye. Hreidarsson intercepted and passed to Reid. Ballack, however, retook the ball, and ran to the edge of the area sent the ball wide of the mark. In the 57th minute, a high ball was intercepted by Essien, who passed to Joe Cole. Joe Cole played the ball to Doyle, who ran at the Charlton defence before playing in Robben. Robben got into the area, before shooting wide. Seven minutes later, a clearance was headed back by Carvalho to Makelele, who robbed Holland before sending a long ball to Doyle. Doyle got into the area, before seeing a shot blocked by Hreidarsson. Charlton had barely threatened, but with twenty minutes left, a cross from Darren Bent was headed clear by Terry. Holland got to the loose ball and passed to Hasselbaink, who fired wide as Diawara came on to replace Ben Thatcher. Three minutes later, Joe Cole got down the right and sent in a cross, which Robben connected with and sent a low volley into the net to add a fifth goal. At this point, a number of away fans decided that they’d seen enough, and began to leave. Chelsea were in no mood for letting up, and as the match entered its last ten minutes, both Ballack and Doyle were denied by Carson. With two minutes to go, Joe Cole played a through ball to Doyle, who got into the area and sent a low shot past Carson to add a sixth for his sixth goal of the season. Chelsea 6-0 Charlton Athletic (Drogba 26, Lampard 30, Joe Cole 34, 45+1, Robben 73, Doyle 88) “There’s the whistle, and Charlton’s seven-year spell in the top flight comes to an end,” Kick Off said, “They needed a massive performance today, but they came up against the juggernaut that Chelsea have been in recent weeks. Chelsea were judge and jury today; they sentenced their opponents to the drop and carried out the sentence themselves. And while Charlton have to come to terms with the prospect of playing in the Championship next season, all eyes will be on the final day showdown here next Sunday when Chelsea and Manchester United battle it out for the title!” “We’ve cancelled out United’s advantage in goal difference with that win,” I said, as we left the stadium, “In fact, if they lose at Aston Villa, we’ll only need a draw. Now, how would you like to go to Goalato?” However, two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and one from Paul Scholes in the second half ensured that United would go into the final day with the initiative, while West Ham and Wigan both lost to ensure that the relegation dogfight would go to the final day. Premier League Table 1 Man Utd 86pts GD +55 2 Chelsea 83pts GD +52 3 Arsenal 78pts GD +31 4 Liverpool 72pts GD +22 5 Tottenham 61pts GD +25 6 Bolton 55pts GD +18 … 16 Sheffield United 37pts GD -22 17 West Ham 35pts GD -25 18 Wigan 35pts GD -28 R Charlton 31pts GD -36 R Watford 27pts GD -30 Wednesday 9th May As Dinky took the post to the kitchen table, she noticed an envelope that looked different to the others. It had the Chelsea club logo on it, but also the Champions League logo. “Actually, why don’t you open it?” I said, when she handed it to me. She carefully did so...and out dropped three tickets to the Champions League Final. “But I thought Mommy didn’t want to come…” “Unfortunately, she didn’t,” I said, “Otherwise there would have been four in there. Rainbow Dash, however, definitely does want to come.” "So that's why she was giving you that money on Saturday."