BATS NIGHT IN TIGHT SQUEAK

MICHY BATSHUAYI hit a brace on his first start of the season to help Chelsea survive a secondhalf scare.

Boss Antonio Conte was left grateful to his new £33million striker after the 22-year-old Belgian gave his side vital breathing space.

Batshuayi, signed from Marseille last month, scored the equaliser in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Watford and smashed his first Stamford Bridge goal (above) on 29 minutes from a Nemanja Matic ball in from the left.

Victor Moses tapped in from close range two minutes later when Cesar Azpilicueta did superbly to turn Pedro’s cross back into the six-yard box.

Rovers defender Peter Hartley pulled one back for the League One battlers when he headed in from a Chris Lines free-kick.

But Batshuayi poached a third in the 41st minute. The impressive Ruben Loftus-Cheek turned Hartley and sent the ball into the six-yard box where Batshuayi stole in ahead of Rovers captain Tom Lockyer to score.

Chelsea were made to sweat, however, when Pedro brought down Stuart Sinclair in the box three minutes after the break and striker Ellis Harrison rammed home the resulting penalty.