At a ground where so many of our hopes and dreams have been shattered in the past, we completely outclassed the Blues from start to finish, enjoying almost 70 per cent possession in the contest and achieving only our second win at Stamford Bridge in 34 years.

Playing a brand of slick football which our hosts simply couldn’t cope with, we took the lead with 13 minutes remaining when Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders punched the ball into his own net on his first Premier League start. Cole Palmer then saw red after a second booking before we sealed the win thanks to a superb strike from Mathys Tel on his 50th league appearance in our colours.

It was a soaking wet evening at the Bridge, where the incessant rain didn’t stop for the entire match, and we enjoyed such a positive first half that we came off at the interval disappointed not to be ahead, such was our dominance. The home side did have the first opportunity of the game, coming in the 14th minute when Morgan Rogers set the ball perfectly for Palmer to hit a first-time shot which Antonin Kinsky did well to tip away with a diving save.

Our football was very watchable as we popped the ball around in tight spaces, went long when we had to and continually got the ball out wide to Tel on the left. It was the French forward’s deep cross which almost led to a goal on 20 minutes as it was collected by Mohammed Kudus who curled wide from a tight angle. A glorious chance came our way nine minutes later. A brilliant move cut Chelsea open with Andy Robertson and Tel combining again down our left, Tel’s ball into the box fell nicely for Omar Marmoush to connect with a left-foot effort but it was too close to Penders who denied us the opener.

We almost gifted the Blues a goal after 36 minutes when Kinsky played the ball out straight to Pedro Neto and Chelsea were quickly on the attack, working the ball back to Jordan Henderson on the edge of the area although his effort was well saved by our Czech Republic international goalkeeper. Moments later at the other end, Marmoush had a shot blocked and Sandro Tonali sent the rebound not far over the crossbar from 20 yards out while, just before the interval, Kinsky had to be alert again to keep out Neto’s angled drive.

Although no changes at half-time, we were forced into one six minutes into the second half when James Maddison came off injured, replaced by Conor Gallagher as he returned to his former stomping ground. We continued to play well but were always wary of Chelsea’s threat and, when we gave the ball away inside our own half just after the hour mark, we needed another save from Kinsky to keep out Neto’s drive from just inside the area.

With the game finely balanced, there was a flashpoint when Palmer clashed with Mateus Fernandes after our Portuguese international midfielder had handled the ball after making a tackle and it ignited the contest to ensure a lively ending. The hosts had another sight of goal in the 74th minute only for Estavao to slam his shot into the side-netting before we took a thoroughly-deserved lead three minutes later. A corner was whipped in from the left and, as Jan Paul van Hecke came in to meet the ball, Penders attempted to punch clear only for the ball to glance off his glove and over the line, despite the best efforts from a defender to keep it out.

Our chances of victory were helped further with 10 minutes remaining when Palmer was given a second yellow for a foul on Gallagher and received his marching orders. And that victory was well and truly secured in the 87th minute thanks to an absolute beauty from Tel. Picking the ball up 10 yards inside his own half, he left Josh Acheampong in his wake as he broke down the left, cut inside past Maxence Lacroix and hit a crisp, low right-footed shot past Penders into the back of the net. That was the icing on the cake of an outstanding performance, matched every step of the way by our superb away fans who didn’t stop singing in the rain for the whole game!

Line-ups

Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Penders, Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill, Neto (Welbeck 88), Caicedo (c), Henderson, Hato (Palestra 65), Palmer, Quenda (Estevao 73), Rogers. Substitutes (not used): Sharman-Lowe, Fofana, Barco, Gusto, Nicoll-Jazuli, Lavia.

Spurs (4-2-3-1): Kinsky, Gray, van Hecke, van de Ven (c), Robertson (Pedro Porro 65), Fernandes, Tonali, Kudus (Kulusevski 89), Maddison (Gallagher 51), Tel (Davies 89), Marmoush (Solanke 65). Substitutes (not used): Dubravka, Senesi, Olusesi, Williams-Barnett.

Match data

Goals: Spurs – Penders (OG) 77, 87.

Yellow cards: Chelsea – Palmer, Neto, Rogers; Spurs – Gallagher, van de Ven, Fernandes.

Red card: Chelsea – Palmer.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh.

Venue: Stamford Bridge.

Weather: Heavy rain, moderate breeze, 10 degrees.