Cesc Fabregas grabbed an 88th-minute winner as Chelsea secured a 1-0 win at Queens Park Rangers to restore their seven-point lead in the Premier League title race.
QPR gave a good account of themselves and had looked like the better for much of the game, although they struggled in the final third.
Just when it seemed like Chris Ramsey's side were going to earn a hard-fought point in their relegation battle, Fabregas rifled home in the closing minutes to snatch the win.
Here, Sports Mole analyses how the game was won in West London.
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Match statistics
QPR
Shots: 11
On target: 4
Possession: 40%
Corners: 5
Fouls: 6
Chelsea
Shots: 8
On target: 1
Possession: 60%
Corners: 6
Fouls: 12
Was the result fair?
You need only glimpse the above statistics to realise that victory was hugely flattering on Chelsea, who did nowhere near enough in the final third to make the short trip back to Stamford Bridge with all three points. It's a hard-luck story for QPR, who were comfortably the better side at times throughout the 90 minutes, but in the end they paid the penalty for a lapse of concentration at a crucial time.
QPR's performance
Having picked up four points from their last two games to boost their survival hopes, Loftus Road was always going to be a far tougher destination now than it would have been, say, last month. And Rangers' first-half display reflected the resurgence under Chris Ramsey as QPR frustrated the visitors with a committed performance that would have worried Chelsea heading into the break.
They improved in the second half, too, with Matt Phillips proving a real menace as the winger drilled in a number of excellent crosses, before having the hosts' best chance when he expertly turned Nemanja Matic but failed to beat Thibaut Courtois from eight yards. Rangers looked more than comfortable at the other end, with Steven Caulker and Clint Hill particularly impressive in a back four that Chelsea struggled to break down.
In the end, it was a major error from goalkeeper Robert Green, who had virtually nothing to do for 88 minutes, that ultimately undermined them when his hashed kick-out was chested down by Hazard, who then set up Fabregas to break the QPR fathful's hearts.
It was a performance with plenty of positives but, being 18th in the table, and with trips to Liverpool and Manchester City on the horizon, you wonder if Fabregas's goal will prompt feelings of apathy among the players ahead of their relegation run-in.
Chelsea's performance
With a nose-guard over his face, it is fitting that a man who looked like a superhero would come to his side's rescue as Fabregas side-footed a late winner past Green to bring Chelsea to the brink of Premier League glory. Ironically, the former Arsenal captain also scored the goal that surely ended the Gunners' feint hopes of catching the Blues as Jose Mourinho's men - who also have a game in hand - restored their seven-point lead over their London rivals in second.
Was it a good performance? No. Did it need to be? No. At this stage of the season, the result is always far more important than the performance and Chelsea, despite being second best for large periods, managed to grind out the victory and it is precisely what we expect from would-be champions.
In contrast to Ramsey, Mourinho will not have been overly happy by what he saw from his troops throughout an uninspiring first half. In truth, Chelsea did not look like a team on the brink of winning the title, nor did Eden Hazard look like a player heavily expected to scoop the end-of-season individual honours.
With Oscar dropping to the bench, Hazard was deployed in a number 10 role this afternoon but the Belgian schemer was expertly combated by the relentless Sandro. With their primary source of creativity negated, the Blues toiled in the final third as third-choice striker Didier Drogba found himself isolated as their spearhead.
It was not until Oscar replaced Ramires when Hazard perked up a little, and the winger ultimately had a big say in the victory when he pounced on Green's botched kick-out before setting up Fabregas for a win that surely puts the title beyond their rivals now.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Clint Hill: At 36, you could be forgiven for thinking that Hill is coming toward the end of his playing career, but the veteran defender showed no signs of slowing down after producing a brilliant performance at left-back this afternoon.
None of the QPR players deserved to be on a losing side today, with the possible exception of Green whose error contributed to the defeat, but Hill more than anybody else can feel particularly aggrieved.
Biggest gaffe
Unfortunately, it has to be goalkeeper Green, whose hashed kick-out was pounced upon by Hazard in the build-up to Fabregas's winning goal. How crucial could that moment prove to be come the end of the season? Only time will tell.
Referee performance
Despite it being a West London derby, it was not the hardest encounter for referee Andre Marriner to officiate. He had no contentious decisions to make and only booked three players - Drogba, Zamora and Sandro - in a quiet afternoon overall.
What next?
QPR: Rangers have a two-week recovery period now due to Aston Villa's involvement in the FA Cup semi-final, and will face West Ham on April 25.
Chelsea: Mourinho's troops will look to move another step closer to the title with the visit of Manchester United next Saturday evening.
Shane Callaghan
