Terry stuns West Ham to seal Chelsea win

John Terry headed a last-gasp winner to give Chelsea a dramatic 3-2 victory over London rivals West Ham United in their FA Cup fourth round replay at Upton Park on Wednesday.

Extra time beckoned when Terry, who was at West Ham as a youngster, rose highest to head home a corner that secured Claudio Ranieri's side a fifth round home tie against first division Preston North End.

Earlier, two razor sharp finishes by Jermain Defoe had twice given West Ham the lead.

But Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mikael Forssell hit back each time to level for Chelsea before Terry settled a pulsating match at the death.

It was a third successive victory for Chelsea, who have revived their fortunes in recent weeks after a season dogged by inconsistency.

For former England under-21 captain Terry, who has had off-field problems this season, it was also a sweet moment.

"It's great especially having been here (West Ham) as a kid," Terry told Sky Sports television.

"I managed to get in front of my man and head it in."

NO KANOUTE

Already without the suspended Paolo Di Canio, West Ham lost Frederic Kanoute to injury just before kick off and their attack was easily repelled by a stern Chelsea back line early on.

But seven minutes before the break the home side, beaten 5-1 at Chelsea in the premier league on January 20, grabbed a surprise lead.

There seemed no danger when Terry headed out a cross to Defoe, but from an acute angle the 19-year-old struck a ferocious shot that veered into the net via the foot of Terry and Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini.

Almost immediately Cudicini plunged low to his left to deny West Ham's stand-in striker Paul Kitson, but Chelsea levelled two minutes before the interval.

West Ham's Czech defender Tomas Repka handled and quick-thinking Hasselbaink, with the permission of referee Graham Poll, curled a free kick into the corner with West Ham still trying to organise their defensive wall.

If Chelsea thought they deserved the equaliser, they were quickly behind again at the start of the second half.

France defender Marcel Desailly lost the ball tamely to West Ham fullback Sebastien Schemmel and when Don Hutchison shot from distance Cudicini could only parry the ball to the feet of Defoe who made no mistake from five metres.

Chelsea coach Ranieri then brought on Gianfranco Zola and Forssell and the tactic paid off with 25 minutes left.

RANIERI BEAMS

Hutchison unwisely attempted a headed back pass in his own penalty area but the ball dropped short of England goalkeeper David James and Forssell pounced to make it 2-2.

Chances flowed and James stopped a fierce Forssell shot and the follow-up from Hasselbaink, while Cudicini flicked over a header by Hutchison.

Christian Dailly almost stole an 85th-minute winner for West Ham when his header bounced back off the inside of the post and Cudicini somehow scrambled the ball clear.

Chelsea finished strongly, though, and forced a series of corners in the final minutes.

James produced a wonderful save to keep out a powerful header by an unmarked Emmanuel Petit but the giant goalkeeper could do nothing to stop Terry deep in stoppage time.

"We showed good character, good fighting spirit -- well done Chelsea," said Ranieri.