08/03/2008  Barnsley 1 Chelsea 0
 
Kayode Odejayi will long be remembered in FA Cup history as Barnsley produced another massive shock to send holders Chelsea crashing out.

As if beating Liverpool at Anfield in the fifth round three weeks ago was not enough, the Championship side managed to go one better, with Odejayi the man of the hour.

The Nigerian striker, a £200,000 buy from Cheltenham in May, had not found the net in 28 games, but he undoubtedly scored the most important goal of his career to send Barnsley into the semi-finals at Wembley.

Make no mistake, this was no fluke because although manager Avram Grant made six changes to his team from the one that romped over Olympiacos in the Champions League in midweek, there was still a star-studded line-up on view.

Barnsley boss Simon Davey had described that win as "men against boys," and departed Stamford Bridge feeling quite "unnerved" at how the Blues had dismantled the Greeks.

Needless to say, though, he was expecting far more from his Tykes, and that is what he duly received as Yorkshire grit took on the might of the millionaires from the Kings Road.

There was no Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Claude Makelele, Paulo Ferreira or Ashley Cole, who were all rested.

Even without Lampard, there was a distinctly English slant towards the Chelsea side as captain John Terry was joined by Wayne Bridge, Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Despite their star status, they more than anybody would appreciate this was an old-fashioned cup tie of favourites against underdogs, with a sell-out, fervent Oakwell crowd providing the backdrop.

As if to prove no fear would be shown, Barnsley took the game to their opponents, carving out the opening chance inside three minutes.

The livewire Jamal Campbell-Ryce's through ball found Brian Howard inside the area, the Tykes captain who had scored the late winner at Anfield.

Although Howard's stabbed shot was blocked by Michael Essien, it at least underlined Barnsley's intent that they would not be as easy a pushover as Olympiacos.

Half-chances followed for Chelsea, interspersed by a number of counter-attacks from the home side, who used Campbell-Ryce's pace along with the height and power of strikers Istvan Ferenczi and Odejayi.

Michael Ballack ballooned the visitors' first opportunity over the crossbar, followed by an edge-of-the-area chip from Joe Cole that also cleared the woodwork.

In the 15th minute, Cole drilled another effort goalwards, and despite a slight deflection that carried the shot inches wide, there was no corner.

Underlining Barnsley's commitment, Rob Kozluk threw his body in front of a Cole drive that followed three minutes later, and that was it in terms of first-half chances for Chelsea.

Instead, it was the Tykes who should have headed into the break with the lead, initially in the 21st minute when Carlo Cudicini was caught napping on the edge of the six-yard box.

The Italian goalkeeper made a hash of attempting to trap a backpass, allowing Odejayi to thunder in, but his nudge was wide.

Then, eight minutes from the interval, Ferenczi should have found the target after latching onto Bobby Hassell's free-kick from deep.

But after flicking the ball up with his right foot, he fired wide from 12 yards, with the Hungarian then sinking to his knees and with his head in his hands as he appreciated he should have done better.

Within a minute, Barnsley were on the attack again as Howard played in Odejayi, and although forced wide, he still fired in a powerful shot that forced Cudicini into his first save via his legs.

Perhaps inevitably, Chelsea then dominated the opening 20 minutes of the second period as Barnsley were penned back inside their own half, resorting on occasion to desperate, but effective defending.

From their sporadic opportunities, Cole had a further shot blocked by Dennis Souza, while on-loan goalkeeper Luke Steele made an easy save from a low Nicolas Anelka drive.

Cole and Terry then combined to set up the Frenchman in the 57th minute, but again the determined home side thrust bodies in the way when it mattered most.

After weathering the storm, Barnsley then conjured a goal to lift the proverbial roof off Oakwell, one which is likely to result in further inquests from Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich following those held in the wake of the Carling Cup final defeat to Tottenham.

Ferenczi initially fed Martin Devaney on the right, and after a run from Marciano van Homoet pulled away Bridge, the right winger delivered a piercing cross to the heart of the area.

At 6ft 2ins, Odejayi managed to rise in front of the outstretched hands of Cudicini and nod home only his second goal for the club this season into an empty net.

Chelsea poured forward for the remainder of the game, but despite the pressure, not once was Steele was forced into a save as a wall of 10 red shirts protected him.

When the final whistle sounded, and despite warnings over the tannoy not to do so, a pitch invasion ensued - one you could not begrudge the delirious Barnsley faithful.