Full time match report: Chelsea 3 Aston Villa 3
Jan 2 2011 by PA Sport
Chelsea's amazing late fightback was in vain as Aston Villa scored a stoppage-time equaliser to leave the champions' Barclays Premier League title defence in considerable doubt.
Didier Drogba and John Terry looked to have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with goals in the final six minutes at Stamford Bridge but the hosts' poor defending cost them when Ciaran Clark nodded home a late equaliser.
Both sides had held the lead in an exciting game, with Frank Lampard's penalty cancelled out by Ashley Young's spot-kick and Emile Heskey's header giving Villa the lead.
The result left Chelsea marooned in fifth place, six points behind Manchester United having played a game more, and crucially outside the Champions League places.
That will place manager Carlo Ancelotti's position under fresh scrutiny, while opposite number Gerard Houllier may enjoy some respite after ending a run of six defeats in seven games
Chelsea began today's match buoyed from ending their worst set of results for 11 years in Wednesday night's ugly 1-0 win over Bolton.
But for all their early possession, they once again lacked any real penetration.
Jeffrey Bruma - making his full Premier League debut - saw a header from a corner blocked but the better chances all fell to Villa, with Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and Stewart Downing all going close.
But a sudden loss of discipline cost them dear, captain Stiliyan Petrov booked for a stupid lunge on Florent Malouda moments before James Collins climbed all over the Frenchman to concede a penalty.
Malouda did throw himself to the floor, and Brad Friedel and Collins were both cautioned for protesting, but it was a definite foul and Lampard stepped up to convert his first goal since August.
Villa's frustration got the better of them and they were penalised for more than one late tackle, while Reo-Coker, Agbonlahor and Clark were all booked before half-time.
Clark and the recalled Richard Dunne both missed glorious chances to level when they headed and hooked over, respectively, from close range as Chelsea's defence went to sleep.
Dunne also produced a last-gasp tackle to stop Malouda and a vital clearance to thwart Michael Essien.
