Chelsea 1-1 West Ham United

Scorer: Anelka (50)	Scorer: Bellamy (33)
Attendance: 41675	FT (17:54)

 

Gianfranco Zola returned to Stamford Bridge and watched his West Ham United side keep Chelsea off the top of the Barclays Premier League by holding them to a draw.

The Hammers stunned Chelsea when Craig Bellamy put them ahead in the 33rd minute with a well-taken shot from 12 yards.

Chelsea levelled in the 50th minute when Nicolas Anelka pounced for his 16th goal of the season and his 100th Premier League goal overall but the home side failed to win at Stamford Bridge in the league for the third match in succession.

Chelsea fans gave West Ham coaches Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke a rapturous welcome as they emerged from the tunnel to take their places in the visiting dugout.

But while the former Chelsea stars lapped up the adulation, West Ham soon found themselves under pressure from a home side determined to build on their midweek Champions League victory over CFR Cluj.

In the sixth minute, a superb combination between former West Ham players Joe Cole and Frank Lampard almost provided them with an opener.

Cole looked set to score when Lampard's precise pass found him bearing down on the edge of the six-yard box. However, Cole's effort was deflected to safety by Scott Parker.

Chelsea had started the match at a frantic tempo and after Jack Collison had fouled Ashley Cole on the left flank, Lampard's 16th-minute free-kick was headed wide by Chelsea defender Alex.

West Ham had done exceptionally well to weather the early storm and in the 20th minute John Mikel Obi was booked for bringing down Carlton Cole in full flight.

SHORT PASSES

It gave Zola's side the chance to test Petr Cech with a free-kick some 30 yards out. But Mark Noble elected to chip the ball into the area instead and Michael Ballack dealt with the danger by heading clear.

Chelsea's football was too intricate and on several occasions their pretty one-touch game failed to provide an end result.

Lampard and Cole were the main culprits as they tried to find a way through the West Ham rearguard with too many short passes.

But Chelsea's woeful home record worsened in the 33rd minute when Zola's struggling side went ahead against the run of play.

Noble crossed the ball for Craig Bellamy to fire the visitors in front from 12 yards.

Chelsea's domestic record at Stamford Bridge had seen them lose two out of the last three and they were visibly shaken by West Ham's opening goal.

Chelsea were again struggling to impose themselves on their opponents and had yet to test West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green.

West Ham, their confidence clearly boosted by Bellamy's goal, enjoyed the longest spell of possession as the interval approached.

But in the 45th minute Nicolas Anelka finally tested Green with an 18-yard shot that was dealt with comfortably by the West Ham 'keeper.

CUTTING EDGE

Scolari, clearly frustrated with Chelsea's lack of a cutting edge, replaced Ballack with Didier Drogba at the interval.

Drogba hardly had time to get into the match before top scorer Anelka supplied the equaliser in the 50th minute.

For once Chelsea's neat approach play paid off with Mikel and Drogba combining before Lampard chipped the ball neatly into Anelka's path, and he coolly slotted the ball underneath the advancing Green for his 16th goal of the season.

Chelsea were now on top and when Matthew Upson failed to clear a cross, Lampard sent the rebound into Green's midriff from the edge of the penalty area.

West Ham, for the first time in the match, had little option but to defend ever deeper.

The visitors were happy to soak up the pressure on the edge of their own penalty area but that only invited Chelsea to try their luck from distance.

In the 64th minute Lampard let fly from 25 yards and his dipping shot had to be held at the second attempt by Green.

Three minutes later Green pulled off a magnificent save to deny Drogba after he had volleyed Lampard's corner towards the near post.

Salomon Kalou replaced the lacklustre Joe Cole in the 73rd minute and his first contribution was to fire a 20-yard shot straight at Green.

West Ham escaped in the 78th minute when Green punched a Lampard corner towards his own goal but it was headed off the line by Parker. However, Green was the hero seconds later when he flung himself across goal to keep out a header from Alex.

Referee Riley then failed to award Chelsea a penalty when Lampard was felled by Lucas Neill but it needed a smart save from Petr Cech to deny Carlton Cole an injury-time winner after he broke clear on goal.