7) Chelsea Fc 1 - 1 Aston Villa

30TH September 2006 A six-game winning run came to an end against Aston Villa despite the match getting off to the perfect start with another Didier Drogba goal. The in-form striker found the net inside two minutes on his return to Stamford Bridge following his midweek hat-trick but as the first-half started with goal, so did it end with Villa equalising through their young wide right player Gabriel Agbonlahor. Chances to regain the lead were not scarce for the remainder of the game and the woodwork was rattled by the Blues. But any Martin O'Neill side is nothing if not resilient and with Villa keeper Thomas Sorensen a formidable obstacle all afternoon, Jose Mourinho was left to settle for a point ahead of the two-week international break. Fatigue was inevitably a pre-match fear after a European away trip. Mourinho attempted to minimise the problem by drafting in legs that had not started the game in Bulgaria. That meant returns to the starting line-up for Geremi, Ashley Cole, Claude Makelele and Arjen Robben. If there was a Messy Goal of the Month competition, then Drogba would dominate September's candidate list. The hottest goalscorer in the country at this moment took two attempts to bundle the ball over the line after Terry's presence had wrecked Sorensen's attempt to claim a Robben free-kick. It may have been scrappy but who was complaining? Drogba had his eighth of the season and Chelsea had a crucial lead over potentially testing opposition before most people had properly settled into their seats.. Four minutes later, Frank Lampard was sharper than the Villa midfield and pinched possession, firing in a low 20-yard shot that Sorensen did very well to tip past the post. Cech was the next keeper in action, pushing away Petrov's well-struck shot after the former Celtic player had given Terry the slip on a skiddy pitch. On 18 minutes Robben showed in open play for the first time, taking on and getting the better of McCann and Hughes on the left. Lampard met the low ball across and forced Sorensen into another hurried but impressive save. Essien was the next to work Sorensen as Chelsea continued to give Villa all sorts of problems at set-pieces. The Ghanaian put all the might his neck muscles could muster into a header but the keeper saved down on his line. A shot from the same player on 31 minutes was straight at the keeper but with Lampard in domineering form in the middle of the park and Drogba swating away the Villa defenders like pesky flies, Chelsea's grip of the game was iron-tight.

Villa were forced into a change six minutes before the break when Luke Moore came off worse in a challenge with John Terry and injured his shoulder. Milan Baros was introduced. Villa manager Martin O'Neill's return to the away dug-out at the Bridge after a long absence was marked by a dressing down by Graham Poll for the frequent haranguing the ref was receiving. Poll clearly indicated that he would be prepared to send O'Neill to the stand. He did not make it visibly clear how many bookings it would take. A minute before the 45 minutes were up, Villa scored their equaliser. Chelsea initially dealt with a corner that had stemmed from a mis-communicated pass between Carvalho and Essien. But when the ball was returned, Ridgewell headed across and Agbonlahor headed low beyond Cech. There was even a chance for the visitors take a first-half lead the balance of power over the 45 minutes had not suggested possible. That was when Baros turned away from Carvalho and found space inside Terry but his shot was too weak to beat Cech. A clever ball into space by Geremi was almost met at the near post by Drogba as Chelsea looked to regain the advantage early in the second-half. There was a notable change to the positions Andriy Shevchenko was taking up. Previously quiet, he was now playing deeper, amongst the midfield. It did him the power of good and he began to see plenty of the ball. Willed on by an encouraging Stamford Bridge crowd, Sheva became one of the main figures of the second-half. Villa's McCann was the first booking of the game on 52 minutes for tugging Shevchenko off balance as the Chelsea striker was about to volley. A powerful piece of play from the Ukrainian down the right ended with a pass slipped through to Essien. No player was receiving more shooting chances than Essien but Sorensen's sprawling save from him bounced just out of reach for Lampard who was following up. Chelsea were beginning to dominate again with 30 minutes left to craft a winner. With 67 minutes on the clock some fresh lungs and legs were introduced. Wright-Phillips came on for Robben; Kalou for Geremi. It was time for the frequently-used Mourinho strategy of increasing numbers up front and reducing them further back when a game needed winning at home. It almost paid off within three minutes when Wright-Phillips smashed the ball against the crossbar from a very acute angle.

A minute later Stamford Bridge was shaking its collective head in disbelief when Kalou broke through on the left and saw his shot saved. Wright-Phillips on the follow-up skewed his shot across goal with the target gapping and then Lampard, off-balance, reached the misguided missile but headed just wide. The shots kept raining in Sorensen but he would not be beaten again. On 76 minutes he flew spectacularly to tip over an excellent Shevchenko effort from 20 yards after the Chelsea man had stepped inside Mellberg. Mellberg was then booked for time wasting at a free-kick as the game entered its final ten minutes. A rapid Chelsea break following a Villa free-kick came to nothing when Wright-Phillips failed to find Drogba with what would have been a killer ball. There were two nervous moments at the Chelsea end, the first after Terry had missed his tackle on a breaking Angel. Makelele was still back to cover and when the Villa striker went down, Poll waved play on. A minute later a ball spun invitingly up for the same striker to volley from only ten yards out but with hearts in mouths, his shot flew into the side-netting. Back at the Matthew Harding end, a chance was scuffed wide by Kalou who soon after won a corner with four minutes of stoppage time being played. Chelsea could not capitalise on that one, nor another corner awarded with just five seconds left on the clock. Kalou reached Lampard's inswinger ahead of anyone else but headed wide. With that, Aston Villa became the first side to take a Premiership point from Stamford Bridge since Charlton back in January. At the final whistle there was a prolonged embrace between Mourinho and O'Neill, sparring partners at their former clubs. A Chelsea record run of 11 straight home wins had come to an end. Chelsea (4-3-3) Cech; Geremi (Wright-Phillips 67), Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole; Essien, Makelele, Lampard; Shevchenko, Drogba, Robben (Kalou 67) Scorer Drogba (1). Aston Villa (4-3-3) Sorensen; Hughes, Mellberg, Ridgwell, Barry (c); Davis, McCann, Petrov; Agbonlahore, Angel, Moore (Baros 39). Scorer Agbonlahor (44). Booked McCann, Mellberg.