MALCOLM Shotton's FA Cup dream was shattered last night by one of the world's most famous footballers, and another who could go on to become one.

Oxford United's manager saw his brave bunch go down fighting in a 4-2 fourth-round replay defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

And this time there was no dodgy referee to blame, only acknowledgement of the class of Italy striker Gianfranco Zola and a young hitman from Helsinki, Mikael Forssell.

After United had stunned the Premiership club by taking a sixth-minute lead, Chelsea hit back through skipper Dennis Wise and then a brilliant goal from Zola, before two breathtaking finishes from Forssell - a 17-year-old who knows how to Finnish! - gave the London club an unassailable lead and a fifth-round trip to Sheffield Wednesday. Dean Windass scored Oxford's second goal from the penalty spot after Wise was sent off for deliberate handball, the fourth time this season and the ninth time in his career he has been dismissed.

And afterwards, Shotton reiterated his statement that Windass will not be leaving.

"Dean Windass is going nowhere, not unless somebody comes in with mega money," he said.

Windass's own agent also told me after the game that reports of Huddersfield signing Windass once Oxford were out of the Cup were "pure speculation".

He said: "Dean's not going anywhere. He's under contract to Oxford and he's only just joined them."

Shotton said he was proud of his players, especially after their second-half performance when they stuck at it.

"They have got world-class players and the quality was there to see tonight.

"I've seen Chelsea down here a few times and they've torn sides to pieces - but not our lads, they stuck at it.

"Everybody has learnt a lot. We've got to take those good things out of the game - and we won't be playing against that quality every week." Shotton was not still bitter about the penalty in the first game: "You've got to look forward and we've come down here and been beaten by a better side," he added.

Chelsea boss Gianluca Vialli was delighted with his side's display and is looking for them to start performing again in the Premiership.

"I am very pleased," he said. "We can say that we have our confidence back and hopefully from now we can see the Chelsea everybody was used to seeing until a couple of weeks ago.

"The first ten minutes we were probably still in the dressing room. They went one up - that was a bit of a shock - but we pulled our socks up."

Vialli was also happy with the two-goal showing of 17-year-old Mikael Forssell.

"He's got no fears," he said. "Looking at his age, it's amazing the way that he played.

And the Italian, who missed the game because of a sore groin, added: "I don't think I can play now twice a week unless needed, but after tonight I know now I can rest more often."

Forssell said: "They were not my usual goals tonight. Usually I like to dribble before I shoot. I have not played with these guys before, so I had to find them in the first half. In the second, I found them."

Story date: Thursday 04 February

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.