26/12/2006  Chelsea 2 Reading 2
 
A bizarre own goal from Michael Essien prevented Chelsea from going top of the Barclays Premiership as brave Reading left Stamford Bridge with an unlikely share of the spoils.

The Blues looked on course for victory with Didier Drogba's double sandwiching Leroy Lita's equaliser but a blunder from Ashley Cole in the 85th minute handed Reading a point.

Kevin Doyle crossed but Cole, who had come on as a second-half substitute and was under no pressure, rushed his clearance, hitting it at Essien who unwittingly deflected the ball into the net.

It was a remarkable ending to a match that Chelsea seemed destined to win give the emphatic response to Lita's header, with Shaun Wright-Phillips setting up Drogba's 19th goal of the season.

The build up to the match had centred around what treatment Stephen Hunt and Ibrahima Sonko would receive after last October's controversial encounter at the Madejski Stadium in which Petr Cech sustained a depressed fracture of the skull and Carlo Cudicini was left with concussion after clashes with the two Reading players.

Both players received death threats as a result, however, Hunt was named on the bench while Sonko approached his task of keeping Chelsea quiet with impressive calm.

Blues manager Jose Mourinho had opted for a 4-3-3 formation with Salomon Kalou, Andriy Shevchenko and Drogba forming a three-pronged attack that enjoyed enough chances to put Chelsea out of sight by half-time.

Drogba was the most wasteful - although he made amends with his double - while Reading, having lost three of their last four matches, hung on bravely despite being on the back foot for most of the match.

Chelsea created their first chance with just over a minute gone; Geremi and Drogba combining to set up Frank Lampard who fended off Sonko before dragging his shot just wide of the left post.

Shevchenko chased Wayne Bridge's long ball and squared but when Michael Ballack let the ball roll to Drogba Ivar Ingimarsson intercepted in the nick of time.

The Ukraine striker then burst into the box before feeding Drogba who tested goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann from close range.

Kalou then blazed a fine chance high after beating Nicky Shorey and Ingimarsson.

Hunt's decision to warm-up on the sideline brought a chorus of boos and a team of stewards were deployed to the edge of the pitch as a precautionary measure.

Glen Little and James Harper created space down the right with some neat interplay but Steve Sidwell could not latch on to the ball as it was threaded through Chelsea's penalty area

A long free-kick from Lampard was met by Drogba but the Ivory Coast striker directed his header straight at Hahnemann when anywhere else on target would have been a goal.

Essien tried his luck from long range but blasted well wide and moments later Hahnemann was forced off his line with Drogba racing to meet Geremi's pass.

Referee Alan Wiley had a discussion with Ingimarsson after the Iceland defender reacted outrageously to a irritated jab in the stomach from Drogba.

The Chelsea striker nearly had his revenge in the 37th minute when he struck the left post after evading Sonko and Little but he could not be denied moments later.

He jumped high to meet Lampard's corner and headed so hard that Shorey, who was stood on the line, was knocked over from the force of the effort with the ball falling into the net.

Early in the second half Ballack and Lampard combined neatly down the right but Sidwell was on hand to clear the threat as the England midfielder looked to pull the trigger.

Reading then enjoyed a purple patch with Carvalho nearly deflecting a Brynjar Gunnarsson cross into his own net.

Leroy Lita, who started ahead of Seol Ki-Hyeon, then blazed high and Sidwell forced a fine save from Hilario as Chelsea's goal came under pressure.

Shevchenko was replaced by Shaun Wright-Phillips in the 58th minute but disaster struck eight minutes later when Reading produced the equaliser, Little escaping Essien down the right after Lampard had lost the ball before picking out Lita who nodded home with a diving header.

Chelsea were stung into action and replied in incisive fashion with Drogba heading the Blues back into the lead.

Wright-Phillips did the initial damage with a surging run and cross for Drogba at the far post and he made no mistake.

Doyle should have equalised from close range but skied his effort and then Gunnarsson went close.

Reading sensed a chink in Chelsea's armour and their second equaliser came in bizarre circumstances in the 85th minute.

Doyle crossed into the area and Cole, under no pressure, hit the ball straight at Essien and it deflected off the Ghana midfielder and into the net.