Chelsea continue to prefer the Porsche to the Mondeo. After Wednesday's vintage display against Feyenoord, Gianluca Vialli's side again found themselves struggling to get past the more basic models which roll off the Premiership production line.

A goal by Tore Andre Flo from a corner settled matters, but though Chelsea hit the bar, had what looked like a legitimate goal disallowed and found the Bradford goalkeeper Matt Clarke in sparkling form, they were hanging on towards the end, relieved to pocket their first win in six league games.

The huge difference between Chelsea's performances on Europe's grand stage and in the Premiership's local rep has been well chronicled. So has Vialli's determination to do something about it. Therefore it seemed fate was being particularly mischievous in following Wednesday's Dutch treat with a home fixture against arguably the least charismatic side in the Premiership.

But Chelsea knew what to expect. Part of their problem is that domestic teams close them down more tenaciously. So it was no surprise that Bradford arrived with just one striker and a midfield packed to the gunnels.

Chelsea, not helped by having Dennis Wise and Frank Leboeuf suspended, always struggled to impose themselves on a bitty game in which tenacity and hard work were rewarded more than flair and invention.

It was a factor which left Vialli frustrating and unimpressed. "Bradford must have been thinking all week how to prevent us from playing fancy football," moaned the Chelsea manager. "It happens all the time. Even with the best players in the world it's very difficult to play great football when the other side comes to defend. It takes two to tango."

Chelsea started with just one British player in their line-up, Bradford with just one from abroad.

And all seemed to be going well for the foreigners when one, Gianfranco Zola, swung in a corner, and another, Flo, reached in front of two defenders to sidefoot the ball past Clarke.

Chelsea continued to press up to the break, with Zola blasting a great opportunity wide. The visitors hardly threatened in the first half, though Peter Beagrie did miss one inviting chance.

Afterwards it was a different story. Bradford increased their workrate and closed down Chelsea further up the field, forcing Vialli's side into unforced errors and unsettling the early composure at the back as Lee Mills twice went close with headers.

Chelsea still carved out the better chances. Clarke pulled off a great one-handed save to deny Zola's close-range header. The little Italian then hit the bar with a long-range chip, and on 78 minutes he cleverly set up Flo for a header which appeared to be over the line by the time Clarke clawed it out with his hands.

Bradford came on strong at the end but created more panic than chances and, for all their tenacity, are in danger of being cast adrift in the bottom four of the Premiership.

CHELSEA: De Goey, Ferrer, Desailly, Hogh, Babayaro, Petrescu (Goldbaek 28), Morris, Deschamps, Poyet, Flo, Zola. Subs Not Used: Di Matteo, Lambourde, Cudicini, Della Bona. Booked: Deschamps. Goals: Flo 16.

BRADFORD: Clarke, Halle, Wetherall, O'Brien, Myers, Lawrence, Windass, Redfearn, Whalley (Blake 68), Beagrie, Mills (Rankin 89). Subs Not Used: Westwood, Dreyer, Taylor.

Referee: A Wiley (Walsall).