Aston Villa’s Ciaran Clark put a big dent in Chelsea’s title challenge as his stoppage-time equalizer rescued a dramatic 3-3 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Blues captain John Terry thought he had completed his side’s comeback with an 89th-minute strike five minutes after Didier Drogba had brought the Blues level and the reigning champions celebrated the anticipated win by mobbing coach Carlo Ancelotti on the touchline.
Those celebrations proved to be premature, however, when Clark stole in unmarked at the far post to meet Marc Albrighton’s cross in the first minute of added-time and secure a deserved point for Gerard Houllier’s side.
PHOTO: EPA
Earlier, Chelsea had taken the lead through a Frank Lampard penalty, only for Villa to strike back when Ashley Young leveled from the spot, before Emile Heskey put the visitors ahead after the restart.
The result means Chelsea now lie fifth, six points behind leaders Manchester United — who have a game in hand — after winning just one of their last eight league games.
Chelsea struggled to establish any kind of momentum in the opening 20 minutes and were second best to a bright Villa side.
Gabriel Agbonlahor exploited space on the edge of the home area to fire in a fourth-minute shot that flew just wide to confirm Villa’s early threat.
However, after controlling the opening stages, Villa found themselves behind in the 23rd minute when defender James Collins was adjudged to have climbed on Florent Malouda as he jumped for a high ball and Lampard converted the resulting penalty.
Houllier’s team managed to maintain their attacking threat and appeared capable of causing Chelsea problems every time a ball was floated into the home area.
Ancelotti had been forced to make changes at center-back, with teenager Jeffrey Bruma coming in for his league debut in place of the suspended Branislav Ivanovic.
The switch reduced Chelsea’s ability to handle Villa’s aerial threat and left-back Clark should have done better when he rose unmarked to meet Young’s corner in the 31st minute.
Villa were handed an even clearer opportunity in the 40th minute when Michael Essien’s clumsy challenge on Nigel Reo-Coker led to the second penalty of the game, with Young stepping up to fire home the equalizer.
Villa’s first-half efforts had deservedly been rewarded and there was more to come from Houllier’s side two minutes into the second half when Heskey headed them in front following a well-worked free-kick.
Young floated the ball out to Stewart Downing and the England winger teed up an inviting cross that Heskey headed home from close range after out-jumping Bruma.
Chelsea steadily increased the pressure on Brad Friedel’s goal and Drogba slammed home in the 84th minute after Salomon Kalou’s effort had been blocked.
Then Terry put Chelsea in front, but Villa showed great resilience to recover once again.
In Sunday’s other Premier League clash, Shola Ameobi fired Newcastle to a 1-0 victory at Wigan that left the struggling Latics deep in relegation trouble.
Ameobi’s first-half goal was enough to seal Newcastle’s second win under new boss Alan Pardew and leave Roberto Martinez’s team just one point and one place above the bottom three.
Wigan fell behind in the 19th minute when Steven Gohouri was robbed by Joey Barton, who struck an effort that Ali al-Habsi managed to parry. Peter Lovenkrands prodded the loose ball against the post and Ameobi was on hand to tuck away the rebound.
At the other end, Cleverley’s deflected shot from the edge of the box earned Wigan a corner that Latics skipper Gary Caldwell headed against the bar, with Hugo Rodallega lifting the rebound over.
Newcastle were next to hit the woodwork soon after as Fabricio Coloccini looped a strong header onto the bar from the edge of the box.
Mauro Boselli was introduced in place of Jordi Gomez to give Rodallega fresh support in attack, but it was Newcastle who nearly scored 10 minutes later as another header hit the crossbar.
This time it was Steven Taylor denied after he got on the end of Barton’s free-kick.
Boselli claimed his shot had been blocked by Taylor’s hand in the box, but referee Howard Webb waved play on.
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