Chelsea deny FA charge over Hawthorns trouble

CHELSEA have denied they failed to control their players during their heated Premiership clash with West Brom earlier this month.

The Londoners have denied the Football Association charge which followed an ill-tempered match at The Hawthorns.

Chelsea's Dutch winger Arjen Robben was sent off for a reckless challenge on Jonathan Greening and Albion chief Bryan Robson was furious with Chelsea's failure to return for the second half on time.

The Premier League champions, who won 2-1, were charged in relation to an incident before half-time when a number of players surrounded referee Mark Halsey complaining about a high challenge by Ronnie Wallwork.

Chelsea's decision to deny the charge is of little surprise, particularly when coach Jose Mourinho went to great lengths to highlight the role of Fulham's players during their controversial west London derby at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

Chelsea have made no public comment on suggestions the FA may take action against the Portuguese coach after he claimed referee Mike Dean and his assistant disallowed a Didier Drogba goal for handball after protests from Fulham's players.

Mourinho insists neither official was in a clear position to give the decision, which ultimately proved to be correct, and protested that the actions of the Fulham players proved there was one rule for the rest of the Premiership and another for the reigning champions.

Mourinho maintains similar punishment should be dished out to Fulham, whose players surrounded Dean and his assistant in their numbers to claim Drogba had used a hand to control the ball before firing it into an empty net.

Added to this was the dismissal of William Gallas for a reckless challenge on Heidar Helguson. His straight red card means a three-match ban for the French defender, which may yet be lengthened if the FA opt to look into a number of gestures he made to the Fulham fans as he left the field.

Gallas was seen to taunt the home supporters by putting his 'thumb down' on a number of occasions actions clearly captured by TV cameras.

Then came the unsavoury pitch invasion which has subsequently led to an investigation by the FA and Fulham with Chelsea offering to co-operate fully with the inquest.

Rivals fans clashed on the pitch after the game before stewards and the police brought the situation under control.

Chelsea were swift to condemn the actions of supporters, including their own, for the pitch invasion and promised to ban any of their fans found guilty of breaking the law.

The club has already requested TV and CCTV material in a bid to identify anyone who went on to the pitch at Craven Cottage.

But while giving their full backing to the FA's hunt for the pitch invaders, Chelsea were reticent to comment on speculation they may yet ask Mourinho to explain his comments about Dean.

That will depend entirely on the views contained within Dean's report to the FA but privately, Chelsea believe they are punished more than any other team and do not feel they have justify Mourinho's views.