Goal: Ballack 32'

Michael Ballack scored the only goal of the game at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday as Chelsea maintained their English Premier League title chase with victory over visitors Reading.

The Germany captain headed in Paulo Ferreira's cross in the 32nd minute to keep the pressure up on the championship front-runners Manchester United and Arsenal.

And the League Cup finalists, boosted in their pre-match build-up by Argentina legend Diego Maradona's training ground visit, equalled the club record of nine wins in a row set in 2005.

Reading showed some resolute defending but Chelsea's class ultimately told.

The Blues remain third in the Premier League table, four points behind the leaders Manchester United.

The Royals are 16th, two points above the relegation zone, having gone eight games without victory, winning just two of their last 15.

"I'm very pleased with the performance in that we won, but in this game we should have scored more goals. We created a lot of one-on-one chances," said Chelsea boss Avram Grant.

He said of Ballack: "One of his qulities is to scome into the box and score, and give assists. He is a modern player because he can do everything on the pitch. I'm very happy that he's here."

Reading manager Steve Coppell said his side were not competitive enough in the first half.

"In the first 45 minutes we were passive, in the second 45, we had a go. The longer the game went on, I felt we were more of a factor," he groaned.

"In the first half, when we weren't competitive, we were just responsive, we weren't initiating anything ourselves and we didn't really look dangerous at all.

"I wanted to have a go at them, to try and be an attacking threat rather than a passive force."

Reading won two corners in the first two minutes but Blues goalkeeper Petr Cech was not troubled by Leroy Lita's header.

Chelsea then laid siege to the Shed End and only some fine goalkeeping by Marcus Hahnemann kept the Blues at bay.

The USA keeper stopped two early Ballack efforts, comfortably gathering an early low shot and keeping out a curling free kick.

Hahnemann pulled off an excellent save in the 20th minute when winger Joe Cole cut in from the left and blasted a shot towards the top left hand corner of his goal.

Three minutes later, Reading had the American to thank again as he charged off his line to smother a shot from Shaun Wright-Phillips, who had split the Royals' defence.

However, no matter how good Hahnemann was, he could not hold out forever and Chelsea scored in the 32nd minute.

Cole sent Ferreira clear down the right and the Portugal right-back sent a curling cross from the goal-line into the penalty area. Central midfielder Ballack shrugged off marker Stephen Hunt to plant a powerful header beyond Hahnemann's dive.

Immediately after the interval, Cole carried on where Chelsea left off, surging down the right and blasting a shot just across the face of goal.

England's Wright-Phillips, playing a more central midfield role, should have done better with a close-range shot five minutes later.

France striker Nicolas Anelka, making his first Stamford Bridge start, should have made it 2-0 in the 65th minute when a Wayne Bridge cross found him unmarked in the penalty box but Hahnemann deflected his header wide.

James Harper threatened Chelsea with a sucker punch but he got his feet in a tangle and wasted a great chance in front of goal when played in by Lita.

Both managers made substitutions in the hope of finding a goal but despite an up-tempo finish, neither side could score.

Reading can take heart from the way they kept Chelsea at bay, something which should stand them in good stead against lesser teams in their relegation battle.

But Chelsea kept up their chase for four major trophies and Grant is coolly ensuring that his predecessor Jose Mourinho barely gets a mention these days at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea: Cech, Ferreira, Alex, Carvalho, Bridge, Wright-Phillips (Sidwell 85'), Makelele, Ballack, Joe Cole, Anelka, Malouda (Pizarro 76').

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Cisse, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Oster (Matejovsky 81'), Harper, Hunt, Convey (Rosenior 85'), Lita, Doyle.