Blackburn ... 2 Chelsea ... 3 Gianfranco Zola's majestic strike stole all three points for Chelsea in a game of swiftly-changing fortunes at Ewood Park.

The veteran Italian struck with 10 minutes remaining to settle an intriguing contest which had swung first in Blackburn's favour, thanks largely to David Thompson on his home debut, and then finally towards Chelsea.

Thompson was instrumental in most of the home side's promising moves, and struck their second after David Dunn's controversial penalty had opened the scoring.

Jesper Gronkjaer had equalised first, and then Zola made the scores level after the break with a header.

From the opening exchanges, attacks looked on top, and Thompson caused panic in the Chelsea ranks when he wriggled to the edge of the box and struck a low shot which the goalkeeper managed to turn aside.

Thompson then set up Andy Cole but the striker flashed his volley high, before Rovers were denied claims for a penalty. Garry Flitcroft's shot clearly struck Marcel Desailly on the hand, but referee Mike Riley was content to declare it unintentional.

In the 18th minute, Blackburn did win a penalty when Celestine Babayaro dived in on Lucas Neill.Dunn slotted home the spot-kick.

Thompson then caught Mario Stanic napping near his own penalty area, stole possession and fired in a cross. Dwight Yorke got an almost perfect touch but somehow Cudicini threw himself to finger-tip the ball wide.

In the 38th minute, Chelsea contrived an equaliser when Stanic bent over a tricky cross, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink burst between two defenders and cut the ball back for Gronkjaer to bury an unstoppable shot into the corner.

In first-half injury time, Cole toyed with Chelsea down the right, then cut the ball back for Thompson to strike a low drive through a crowd of defenders and into the net.

Finally, Zola put Chelsea ahead for the first time with a mouth-watering effort from the edge of the box, which curled into the top corner.

BLACKBURN: Friedel, Neill, Short, Taylor, Johansson (Grabbi 82), Dunn, Tugay (Gillespie 64), Flitcroft, Thompson, Cole, Yorke. Subs Not Used: Kelly, Hignett, Berg. Booked: Johansson, Thompson. Goals: Dunn 18 pen, Thompson 45.

CHELSEA: Cudicini, Melchiot, Desailly, Gallas, Babayaro, Gronkjaer (Gudjohnsen 77), Morris (De Lucas 87), Lampard, Stanic (Zenden 71), Hasselbaink, Zola. Subs Not Used: de Goey, Huth. Booked: Babayaro, Stanic, Morris. Goals: Gronkjaer 38, Zola 52, 80.

Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).