NICOLAS Anelka’s strike separates the two sides in Brian Laws’ first game in charge of Burnley at Turf Moor.

Anelka opened the scoring for Chelsea in the 27th minute when the visitors launched a lightning counter attack.

Petr Cech bowled the ball out to Joe Cole on the right of midfield, and after striding forward the returning midfielder picked out Florent Malouda at the back post.

With his first touch the French international squared for countryman Anelka, who was free in the six-yard box to beat a helpless Brian Jensen.

It was bad timing for the Clarets who had threatened to open the scoring themselves two minutes earlier, and would have but for sharper crosses.

Great play down the left by Chris Eagles and Kevin McDonald almost carved open the visitors, and the pair combined again a minute later but nobody could get on the end of Eagles’ cross.

The game took a while to come to life with both sides’ passing letting them down, while Laws could be seen prowling his technical area to show his displeasure at his team’s failure to get stuck into their opponents.

Under-fire John Terry has had his every touch jeered by the home crowd and was somewhat fortunate to still be on the pitch after he barged Robbie Blake out of the way when the winger had a clear run on goal, but the England skipper only received a yellow card.

Clarets debutant Leon Cort made a vital interception in the opening exchanges, cutting out a throughball destined for Anelka.

Chelsea threatened on nine minutes but after Frank Lampard played a one-two with Anelka the England midfielder could not keep his shot below the bar.

Burnley’s clearest sight of goal came in the 38th minute when Andre Bikey blazed a shot over the bar after Ashley Cole’s interception fell to the Cameroon international on the edge of the area.

Christian Kalvenes had a troubled first half and was replaced by David Edgar with ten minutes to go, while Bikey was booked for a cynical foul on Anelka.