Burnley 1 Chelsea 2

The Premier League game between Burnley and Chelsea at Turf Moor on Saturday Jan 30 2010.

For a while there was a sanctuary for John Terry as revelations about his private life were ignored amid headers and clearances, and he came up with a winner to move Chelsea four points clear at the top of the table.

Nicolas Anelka's goal was cancelled out by Steven Fletcher's effort but Terry headed in with eight minutes left to seal a crucial win that takes Chelsea four points clear at the top of the Premier League table ahead of the game between Arsenal and Manchester United.

Where Terry will watch that match, with who, and what those involved will make about further stories that will hog the newspapers on Sunday morning, only the England captain, who was roundly applauded by the travelling Chelsea fans, knows.

It can certainly be said that playing away has not been doing anyone at Chelsea much good at the moment, as Terry's late header earned Carlo Ancelotti's side their first away win since November.

They will look to improve that on Tuesday at Hull and Terry will be counting the hours until he gets to run out at the KC Stadium, not that the storm currently surrounding him seemed the effect the defender's performance although he was grim-faced throughout an afternoon that saw his every touch booed by the Burnley fans.

After being trailed by a cameraman for most his warm-up, rarely can Terry have been so keen to get a game underway and he even appeared to beckon referee Phil Dowd to get on with the pre-match coin toss.

Assistant manager Ray Wilkins claimed before the game that Terry has his "football head" on and that Chelsea's preparations had not been affected by the scandal despite paparazzi heading to Accrington, where

Chelsea stayed on Friday night, surely for the first time in the town's history.

His first touch was a mis-judged header as he attempted to clear Brian Jensen's hoof up-field and after Alex then sliced another attempt to get the ball away, Terry scurried back to block off Burnley players to allow Petr Cech to gather.

Terry continued to look comfortable and the visitors were in control of the early stages, though a scooped effort from Frank Lampard that flew over was all they had to show for it.

Burnley were as positive as always and looked like they might get somewhere with their quick, short passes around the Chelsea area but they rarely got beyond that

Just before the half hour, the visitors took the lead with a goal of some style.

Burnley could not get anywhere near the Premier League leaders as Petr Cech's quick throw allowed Joe Cole to break down the right and hit a cross-field pass for Florent Malouda to cross to Anelka, who touched in his 12th goal of the campaign.

Terry was cautioned for a barge on Robbie Blake after Stephen Fletcher tried to play his fellow striker past Chelsea's offside trap just inside the visitors' half, earning another chorus of "Same old Terry, always cheating" from the home support.

The Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen had to be alert to tear out of his box and head away a Branislav Ivanovic through-ball aimed at Anekla and Lampard dragged a low effort wide of goal from distance as Carlos Ancelotti's side continued to stroll through the period before half time.

Terry headed down the tunnel deep in conversation with Michael Ballack, who had his arm around his captain and the England player spent almost half a minute in relaxed conversation with Dowd before the second period started.

Malouda missed with a wild drive but the feeling of clam was shattered five minutes after the restart when Robbie Blake took a free kick quickly.

Alex failed to deal with the ball over the top and his attempt at a flick away bounced off Fletcher, who controlled and then drilled a low shot past Cech and the Turf Moor stands shook as they did when Blake's goal beat Manchester United here back in August.

Joe Cole had an effort ruled out for offside after Anelka and Ballack had been thwarted and Cole also dragged wide after a solid run down the right by Ivanovic.

Lampard's low free kick was pushed away by Jensen and Anelka's follow-up was hacked away by David Edgar and at the other end, Cech held an awkward long-range effort from Eagles.

Sensing an opportunity, Brian Laws, who was looking for his first win as Burnley manager, threw on Martin Paterson and Steven Thompson, but it was Terry that made the crucial contribution, rising highest to head in from Lampard's corner.