Chelsea squandered the opportunity to return to the top of the table on Saturday as they were held 1-1 by Everton at Stamford Bridge.

Didier Drogba fired the Blues in front from the penalty spot but Jermaine Beckford stepped off the bench to rescue a point for the Toffees.

Both sides were desperate for points heading into the game, with winless runs having held them back somewhat over recent weeks.

Chelsea found their stride first, with Everton offering little as an attacking force.

It would be the hosts who broke the deadlock three minutes before the interval, with a wayward back-pass from Phil Neville sending Nicolas Anelka clean through on goal.

The Frenchman was sent tumbling inside the box by Tim Howard, who only saw yellow, and Drogba emphatically fired home from the spot.

Everton came agonisingly close to snatching a leveller shortly after the hour mark, but a diving header from Jack Rodwell crashed back off the inside of the post.

David Moyes' men were finally able to restore parity four minutes from time when Tim Cahill nodded a Leighton Baines cross back across goal for Beckford to head home.

The result left Chelsea with just one win in their last six league games and is sure to pile more pressure on under-fire boss Carlo Ancelotti.

Everton almost shocked Chelsea in the opening few seconds when Louis Saha's shot from 20-yards forced Petr Cech into a fine save at his near post.

Moments later Baines fired high over the bar with Chelsea still struggling to get to grips with the high-octane opening from the visitors.

Relief

Chelsea's first real attack arrived in the 12th minute when Drogba put Anelka ahead of the visiting defence.

The former France international's shot was blocked by Phil Jagielka to the relief of Everton keeper Howard.

Chelsea felt they should have had a penalty when Jose Bosingwa's cross appeared to hit the hand of Sylvain Distin but referee Lee Probert was not impressed.

Anelka tried his luck from 20 yards in the 20th minute but his shot flashed wide of Howard's right-hand upright.

The woodwork prevented Chelsea from taking the lead in the 27th minute when captain John Terry, back after a sciatic nerve injury, sent a shot against the bar.

It followed a sustained spell of pressure from the home side which resulted in a spat between Florent Malouda and Everton's Neville.

Neville twice lunged at the France international from behind causing the Chelsea player to retaliate. But to Neville's credit he got up immediately and referee Probert took no action.

However, Neville was booked minutes later when he fouled Drogba on the halfway line, much to the consternation of Everton manager David Moyes.

Chelsea wasted another chance in the 37th minute when Salomon Kalou headed wide from a corner by Malouda.

Chelsea eventually broke the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 41st minute when Anelka pounced on a poor back pass from Neville and was brought down by Howard.

The Everton keeper was spared a red card by Probert, but Howard could do nothing to stop Drogba's fierce penalty from giving the Blues the lead.

Revival

Everton began the second half brightly but Rodwell's accuracy from 20 yards left a lot to be desired.

His 51st minute effort was well wide of the target but Everton were showing signs of a revival.

In the 57th minute Everton replaced Saha with Beckford but despite having much of the possession, they could not find a way through Chelsea's rearguard.

Chelsea were still a danger on the counter-attack and Drogba should have done better when Bosingwa's cross allowed him time to turn inside the penalty area.

The Ivory Coast striker's shot was easily saved by Howard and Everton almost levelled in the 61st minute when a cross from Baines was headed against the inside of the post by Rodwell.

Chelsea were now having to defend in numbers with Everton controlling the game.

Two minutes later a corner from Baines was headed on by Jagielka but the ball dropped agonisingly wide of the far post.

There was controversy in the 72nd minute when Terry and Cahill squared up to each other after the Everton midfielder had collided with Cech.

Players from both sides got involved in the aftermath and Terry accused Cahill of deliberately leading with his studs.

Cech, who has to wear a protective helmet following a fractured skull suffered four years ago, was given lengthy treatment to his forehead.

Everton grabbed a deserved leveller four minutes from time when a cross from Baines was headed back across the six-yard box for substitute Beckford to head into an unguarded net.

Chelsea	Team Statistics	Everton
1	Goals	1
1	1st Half Goals	0
4	Shots on Target	4
5	Shots off Target	9
5	Blocked Shots	5
7	Corners	2
8	Fouls	13
3	Offsides	1
1	Yellow Cards	4
0	Red Cards	0
80.8	Passing Success	77
20	Tackles	27
70	Tackles Success	81.5
56.8	Possession	43.2
49.7	Territorial Advantage	50.3

Click Here For Official Team Sheet

Teams 

Chelsea  Cech, Bosingwa (Ferreira 65), Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Essien Mikel (Sturridge 88), Malouda, Kalou, Drogba, Anelka (Ramires 78)
Subs Not Used  Turnbull, Bruma, McEachran, Kakuta
Booked  Terry
Goals  Drogba (Pen) 42

Everton  Howard, Neville, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Fellaini, Rodwell, Pienaar (Bilyaletdinov 87), Cahill, Saha (Beckford 58)
Subs Not Used  Mucha, Anichebe, Heitinga, Osman, Yakubu
Booked  Neville, Howard, Coleman, Jagielka
Goals  Beckford 86

Attendance  41,642

Referee  L. Probert