MARK Hughes has urged his players to 'keep believing' as they attempt to rediscover that winning feeling.

Avram Grant's Chelsea became the latest side to triumph at ice-station Ewood Park, thanks to a first half strike from their England midfielder Joe Cole.

However, the millionaires from the King's Road were required to dig deep to claim the spoils, on a day when Rovers asked some searching questions of the title pretenders.

Inspired by the brilliant David Bentley, Rovers reminded the nation that when they are in the mood, they can mix it with the best the Premier League has to offer.

Rediscovering the high-tempo brand of football that served them so well during the early months of the season, Hughes' players really took the fight to the Londoners during a blistering opening 20 minutes.

But then completely against the run of play, Chelsea struck the all-important killer blow with ruthless efficiency, Cole clinically finishing off a devastating counter-attack.

For the eighth successive game, Rovers found themselves having to play catch-up, this time against the team that is arguably the most adept at protecting a lead in the Premiership.

Yet, only a combination of the woodwork and not one, but two, inspired goalkeepers prevented Rovers from taking at least a point here.

Compared to the defeats to West Ham and Wigan, this was a vastly improved performance, leading Hughes to believe a change in fortunes could be imminent.

But first, his players must rid themselves of a dangerous habit that is continually undermining their prospects of picking up points in the league.

"I don't know when we last scored first in a game," said Hughes.

"Obviously, we are giving ourselves a little bit too much to do at the moment.

"But today, I always felt we were in the game.

"We were up against a club and a team with great resources, and I thought we did okay.

"I thought the players were really positive and they had real belief, certainly in the first half, in what we were trying to do, and the gameplan we had.

"In fairness, they implemented what we wanted them to do, but it just wasn't to be.

"However, against lesser opposition, I think we would have won that game."

Determined to get in Chelsea's faces from the off, Hughes made four changes to the side that found itself 2-0 down to Arsenal inside 29 minutes of last Tuesday night's Carling Cup quarter-final.

In a barnstorming opening, Rovers could have been out of sight before Chelsea had the chance to work up a bead of sweat.

With confidence coursing through his veins, thanks to five goals in his previous two appearances, Roque Santa fired in an early drive that was deflected wide for a corner.

Then Bentley, who was given a licence to roam in the hole' behind Santa Cruz, went close with a shot that dipped just the wrong side of Petr Cech's crossbar.

Bentley went even closer moments later when his free-kick, from the left-hand corner of the area, thudded against the bar and rebounded back into play.

Keen to impress Fabio Capello, the newly-appointed England manager, Bentley was at the hub of Rovers' best work during those early skirmishes, busily probing and prompting in the space between Chelsea's defence and midfield.

One beautifully weighted pass sent Santa Cruz scampering clear but the Paraguayan dragged his shot wide of the far upright. It was one-way traffic.

But, as so often happens in football, when you fail to take your chances during a period of dominance, it usually returns to haunt you, and that is precisely what happened in the 22nd minute.

Andrei Shevchenko had already fired a warning when he hooked a shot into the Darwen End but sixty seconds later, Joe Cole was far more clinical.

Ryan Nelsen's pass out of defence was intended for Santa Cruz but Ricardo Carvalho managed to intercept it and promptly set Chelsea on the attack.

The ball was transferred via Frank Lampard to Salomon Kalou, who then brilliantly played in Cole with a diagonal pass that completely dissected a flat-looking Rovers rearguard.

Leaving Nelsen trailing in his wake, the England midfielder strode purposefully into the area before thumping a shot past Friedel: 0-1.

Down but certainly not out, Rovers went in search of an equaliser and one nearly materialised 11 minutes later.

Santa Cruz laid the ball off to Steven Reid, who let fly from inside the area, but somehow Cech managed to thrust out an arm and deflect the ball onto his crossbar.

If that was a stunning save then so, too, was the one Brad Friedel produced to deny Lampard at the opposite end shortly before half-time.

There was no let-up in the action after the break either, as both sides continued to trade blows.

Only an impeccably-timed challenge from David Dunn prevented Kalou from making it 2-0 in the 61st minute.

An injury to Cech meant Hilario had to take over in goal for Chelsea three minutes later, and it wasn't long before the Portuguese was in the thick of the action.

A raking cross from Dunn found its way to Santa Cruz in the centre, and the striker's downward header looked destined for the bottom corner until Hilario shovelled it against the post.

After that, Rovers applied plenty of pressure but to no avail as the Chelsea defence stood firm.

And the Londoners might even have snatched a second on the break when Lampard fired in another pile-driver that brought the best out of Friedel.

In the end, though, Cole's goal proved enough.

As Hughes said, keep believing.