QPR 1 - 0 Chelsea: Nine-man Chelsea unravel in costly defeat at QPR

Chelsea completely lost their discipline as two sendings off, seven yellow cards and a penalty handed QPR a first win over their arch-rivals for 16 years.

Jose Bosingwa and Didier Drogba both saw red in the Barclays Premier League clash at Loftus Road, while Ashley Cole also picked up a suspension for his fifth booking of the season.

The rot set in when David Luiz conceded an eighth-minute penalty which Heidar Helguson scored, but the nine men wasted more than one chance to level, most notably when Nicolas Anelka headed straight at Paddy Kenny.

The defeat saw Chelsea blow the chance to capitalise on Manchester United’s derby humiliation and move second in the league, while leaving them six points adrift of Manchester City.

Daniel Sturridge and Luiz threatened early on but the latter’s habit of making reckless challenges cost Chelsea dear in the eighth minute when they failed to deal with a long clearance and the defender nudged Helguson over in the box.

Referee Chris Foy pointed to the spot, and Helguson sent the penalty into the top corner past Petr Cech’s fingertips.

Chelsea’s afternoon took a turn for the worse in the 32nd minute when Bosingwa was sent off for hauling down Shaun Wright-Phillips when the winger threatened to burst clear. Foy deemed the right-back to be last man and brandished a red card.

Chelsea were livid with the decision, which was followed by Adel Taraabt curling the resultant free-kick too close to Cech.

Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas sacrificed Sturridge for Branislav Ivanovic but his misery was far from over, with Drogba getting himself sent off four minutes before half-time.

The striker lunged in two footed on Taraabt and left Foy with little option.

Villas-Boas took action again in first-half stoppage-time, withdrawing Juan Mata for Nicolas Anelka.

Chelsea went close to levelling early in the second half when Frank Lampard was just beaten to Raul Meireles’ cross.

Lampard and Shaun Derry had to be dragged away from each other following a penalty-box scramble, with Foy booking both.

Luke Young screwed a great chance wide as QPR finally began to make their advantage tell, while Ivanovic became the next man cautioned for clattering Taraabt.

QPR captain Joey Barton picked up a customary yellow for going in late on John Terry before Taraabt was withdrawn for Tommy Smith on the hour.

Luiz was booked for another poor tackle before seeing a penalty appeal turned down when he hit the deck under challenge from Helguson.

Barton almost scored on the break, and Meireles was booked for dissent before being withdrawn for Florent Malouda.

There was no stopping the yellow tide, Cole almost made to pay for his booking when Helguson volleyed over from point-blank range.

Chelsea should have capitalised with ten minutes left when Ivanovic put the ball in for Anelka, who headed it at Kenny from four yards.

With time running out, Villas-Boas made his feelings clear to the fourth official, while tempers flared late on when Terry closed down Kenny and the pair squared up on the six-yard line.