Previously prolific Chelsea were held scoreless for the second consecutive EPL game but both they and Villa were saved by the frame of the goal in a frenzied finish to an otherwise disappointing contest.

Aston Villa started brightly with Stephen Ireland heading narrowly wide and Chelsea keeper Petr Cech turning aside John Carew’s low drive in the opening six minutes.

But the teams created little of note for the rest of a dull opening half, Chelsea clearly missing the injured Didier Drogba.

And apart from one stinging drive by Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka, the game only sprang into life in the closing stages.

Blues full-back Brainslav Ivanovic headed Florent Malouda’s outswinging corner against the post on 77 minutes.

And two minutes later, Villa defender Ciaran Clark, on as an early substitute for the injured Richard Dunne, did likewise to Ashley Young’s free-kick from the left.

With two minutes remaining, Anelka headed Ashley Cole’s centre against the outside of keeper Brad Friedel’s right-hand post.

But Villa could have snatched all three points in stoppage-time after Nigel Reo-Coker dispossessed young Chelsea midfielder Joshua McEachran and bore down on goal.

Reo-Coker lifted his right-foot shot over the on-rushing Cech. But the ball dropped agonisingly wide.