Chelsea 2 (Lita 67, Essien 85 (og))
Reading 2 (Drogba 38, 72)

The Royals took a deserved point at Stamford Bridge today thanks to a superb second half performance.

Steve Coppell picked a starting XI to match Chelsea's 4-3-3, leaving Stephen Hunt and Seol Ki-Hyeon on the bench, and his team put in a terrific showing to take a point.

Didier Drogba opened the scoring on 38 minutes, but Leroy Lita nodded home on 67 following superb play by Glen Little.

Drogba scored again, but Reading were not about to lie down, and Michael Essien's own goal made it 2-2.

Chelsea had the best of the first half, but Reading were the better team after the break, and a mixture of determination, quality and the manager's tactical nous saw the Royals take a deserved point.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Hilario; Geremi (Mikel 70), Bridge (A Cole 70), Carvalho, Ferreira; Ballack, Essien, Lampard (c); Drogba, Kalou, Shevchenko (Wright-Phillips 58)
Subs: Hedman, Diarra
Booked: Ballack

Reading (4-3-3); Hahnemann; Murty (c), Shorey, Sonko, Ingimarsson; Harper, Gunnarsson, Sidwell; Doyle, Lita, Little
Subs: Federici, Sodje, Oster, Hunt, Seol
Booked: Lita

Ref: A Wiley

Attendance: 41,885




Full report
From the kick off Chelsea kept possession for a good couple of minutes, and the Royals were clearly starting 4-3-3 and doing a man-to-man marking job on their opponents.

That first move culminated in Frank Lampard getting into the area, and his initial shot was blocked by Ibrahima Sonko, only to bounce back onto the England midfielder's legs and then fly inches wide of the post.

Reading then got forward well through Graeme Murty & Glen Little, and James Harper marginally overhit a throughball that almost gave Kevin Doyle a chance.

Good goalkeeping from Marcus Hahnemann prevented Didier Drogba from making more of a decent opportunity, and Salomon Kalou should have done better with his narrow sight of goal after a mazy run.

Reading then enjoyed a very good spell, with plenty of possession in the final third, but without creating a clear chance.

Hahnemann produced another good stop to turn Drogba's header round the post, and Michael Essien's long range effort was well wide.

Once again Hahnemann impressed when out quickly to dispossess Drogba as he looked to unleash. The Ivorian was a threat moments later, and his shot was deflected inches wide off Ibrahima Sonko's heel.

From Lampard's resulting corner, Drogba headed home from three yards, despite Nicky Shorey's attempts to keep it out on the line. Hahnemann furiously claimed a foul, as the striker did have an arm on him, but it was still a decent leap by the frontman.




Second half
There was a bright start to the second half, and Reading had a couple of decent sights of goal, particularly when Steve Sidwell couldn't quite get the ball under control as it opened up for him.

The momentum was with the Royals, and they were inches away from equalising. Brynjar Gunnarsson drilled in a low cross that deflected off Ricardo Carvalho, and it was agonisingly close to Doyle as he slid in at the back post.

Reading were on top at this point, and Leroy Lita shot wildly over on the turn.

Sidwell nearly capitalised on the Royals' excellent spell, but his shot from the edge of the box was just wide and into the side netting. Chelsea had a rare foray forward through Lampard, but Kalou was well off target from his pass.

Reading deservedly drew themselves level on 67 minutes, and it came about through great play by Little. The winger jinked inside a couple of challenges before whipping in a great cross, and Lita remained level to beat the offside trap and score with a well-placed low header.

Jose Mourinho responded with a double substitution to go three at the back, and within moments his team were in front again. Shaun Wright-Phillips went past Nicky Shorey to find himself in acres of space, and he picked out a great ball to Drogba, who stayed onside and headed home at the back post from six yards.

Reading were still very much in it though, and Doyle had a very good chance on the swivel but he hooked over from eight yards. As the ball broke to the Irishman, Michael Ballack looked to have fouled Sonko in the area, seemingly making no attempt to play the ball as he jumped into the big defender.

The Royals were the better team, and Shorey's free kick gave Gunnarsson a free header, albeit on the stretch, and it went a couple of yards wide.

Showing great character, Steve Coppell's side picked themselves up to draw level again.

Doyle broke down the left, and played in a great cross behind the Chelsea defence. Sub Ashley Cole got back to clear, but miscued and his strike bounced off colleague Essien and into the net for 2-2.

Chelsea threw everything forward, and Drogba's header from a corner was straight at Hahnemann. Cole then broke into the area, but Little was able to mop up as Reading took a point that was fully merited on their second half performance.