Liam Delap’s 12th-minute penalty has given Town a 1-0 half-time lead over Chelsea at Portman Road.

Keeper Christian Walton returned to the Town XI for the first time since the opening week of the season, one of four changes made by manager Kieran McKenna.

Walton replaced Aro Muric, who was on the bench, for his second Premier League appearance having started the opening match against Liverpool and the Carabao Cup defeat at AFC Wimbledon a few days later.

Wes Burns came in wide on the right for Ben Johnson, who was also among the subs, with McKenna once again naming Dara O’Shea, Luke Woolfenden and Jacob Greaves in his backline, with Leif Davis at left-back.

Skipper Sam Morsy returned in the centre of midfield alongside Jens Cajuste with Kalvin Phillips on the bench having started his first game in almost two months at Arsenal on Friday.

Ahead of them, Nathan Broadhead was handed his first Premier League start having impressed off the bench in recent weeks with Sammie Szmodics dropping to the bench, while Omari Hutchinson faced his old club. Delap was the number nine.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca made five changes to his team following the 2-1 defeat at home to Fulham on Boxing Day with second-choice keeper Filip Jorgensen, Axel Disasi, Noni Madueke, Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku coming into the XI and Robert Sanchez, Malo Gusto, Pedro Neto, Jadon Sancho and Nicolas Jackson all dropping to the bench.

Town were first to threaten in the opening minute, Davis getting in behind on the left of the box but his cross was cut out.

In the fourth minute, with the game remarkably open for such an early stage, Broadhead won the ball and fed Burns, who sent Hutchinson away. The former Chelsea forward worked some space with a trick, then cut back to Broadhead, who struck a first-time shot which was blocked.

Chelsea’s first serious attack in the sixth minute saw Madueke send over a teasing cross from the right but too high for Felix and the ball went behind for a goal-kick.

Town continued to give as good as they got and in the 10th minute were awarded their first penalty of the season. Davis played a clever pass in for Delap to chase into the left of the box, the striker beating Jorgensen to the ball and the keeper upending the frontman with his trailing leg.

Referee John Brooks pointed to the spot and VAR official Michael Oliver confirmed the decision, Jorgensen having brought down Delap at a point when the striker probably couldn’t have done much with the ball with the angle so tight.

After Cole Palmer had given his keeper some advice, Delap took the kick himself and smashed his seventh goal of the season low to Jorgensen’s right with the former Denmark U21 international going the right way but beaten by the power in the strike.

Having gone in front, Town maintained the pressure and in the 13th minute Delap wasn’t too far from a second. Hutchinson blocked Marc Cucurella’s clearance and it fell to the former Manchester City man, who struck a powerful effort which Jorgensen did well to bat away to his right.

Chelsea came very close to levelling in the 22nd minute when Cajuste was harshly adjudged to have fouled Nkunku just outside the area. Skipper Enzo Fernandez laid it off to Palmer, who hit a low effort which struck the inside of Walton’s right post. The loose ball rebounded out to Nkunku but under pressure the France international failed to knock it into the open goal, instead finding Walton at the post, who gratefully grabbed hold.

The West Londoners thought they had got back on terms in the 24th minute when Palmer lofted a ball into the area and Felix nodded in at the far post. The on-field officials gave it but after an unnecessarily lengthy VAR review - it was immediately clear watching the video evidence that the goalscorer was offside - it was ruled out.

Chelsea continued to look for the equaliser as the half an hour mark approached, Felix hitting a shot from the edge of the area against Woolfenden and then Cucurella, who moments earlier had been rolling on the turf making a lot of minimal contact from Hutchinson with the home fans making their displeasure clear, shot well wide after the ball had fallen to him on the left of the box.

O’Shea was shown the game’s first yellow card in the 32nd minute for a late challenge on Felix midway inside the Town half, Cajuste nodding away Palmer’s free-kick.

Three minutes later, Davis picked up a dangerous Chelsea ball from the left on the opposite touchline but passed out straight to Moises Caicedo but the former Brighton man blazed over when he should have done much better.

Palmer, who at this stage was being given virtually free rein in the middle of Town’s half, turned away from Greaves and teed-up Felix, who scuffed a low shot, which was little trouble for Walton.

Town attacks had become rarer the longer the half had progressed but on 38 Burns battled well to win the ball just inside the Chelsea half and sent Broadhead away. The Wales international fed Delap on the left of the box but the striker and Davis got in one another’s way and the chance was gone.

A minute later, Broadhead played a superb cross-field pass for Delap to chase as the Blues counter-attacked, the England U21 international breaking into the right of the area before hitting a powerful strike which Jorgensen did well to palm behind for a Town corner.

But it was still mainly Chelsea and in the 42nd minute Cucurella swept a ball in from the left which Nkunku knocked back to Fernandez, whose 10-yard effort was blocked by Greaves, who was then fouled.

Moments before five additional minutes were announced, Davis was played in towards the left of the box and appeared to be tripped. Referee Brooks waved away the Town protests, despite there looking a decent case for a free-kick.

Within a minute, Walton was forced into the save of the half. The ball was laid off to Palmer just outside the area and the England international aimed a deft effort towards the roof of the net but the Town keeper did well to palm it onto his bar and over to his right.

Seconds before the whistle, a cross from the right was floated towards Felix but the Portuguese international headed well wide under pressure from Burns.

The Blues were applauded off at the break after a sometimes pulsating and sometimes nervy half. Cucurella was subjected to boos as he left the field for his earlier play-acting.

It had been a very different first half to the one at Arsenal on Friday with the Blues never under the sustained pressure they were against the Gunners.

The opening spell was very open with the two sides breaking on one another and then the Blues scoring the penalty, Davis’s pass and Delap’s pace having drawn the mistake from Jorgensen.

Chelsea began to turn the screw with Palmer at the centre of everything but with the Blues defending solidly and desperately - and also riding their luck - and Walton making one very good save.

The second half seems likely to be more of the same as Town look to end 2024 on a high note with their first home win of the season against very illustrious opposition.

Town: Walton, Burns, O'Shea, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Morsy (c), Cajuste, Hutchinson, Broadhead, Delap. Subs: Muric, Johnson, Townsend, Phillips, Taylor, Chaplin, Szmodics, J Clarke, Al-Hamadi.

Chelsea: Jorgensen, Disasi, Cucurella, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Fernandez (c), Madueke, Felix, Nkunku, Palmer, Caicedo. Subs: Sanchez, Neto, Jackson, Sancho, James, Gusto, Acheampong, Guiu, Veiga. Referee: John Brooks (Leicestershire). VAR: Michael Oliver.

Photo: Matchday Images

WalkRules added 20:53 - Dec 30 Solid start - everybody doing well. Lots of passion and no mistakes - all we can ask for. COYB.
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Leejames99 added 21:55 - Dec 30 I was completely wrong, that was an immense performance by all and in KMK we trust, Walton seemed very assured, Broadhead great, Morsy great and the whole team including Burns today did great. No excuses and hands up I was worried but Mckenna played a blinder. I think Walton will remain now, he didn't put foot wrong and again I was wrong about him. This gives us no excuses now, we have beaten Chelsea and Spurs and that should gives us momentum to kick on, some good transfers and 17th spot might be achievable especially if Everton and Leicester get point deductions which looks likely. Off to eat some humble pie now. Great win. COYB

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