Strain shows as Blues let their big chance slip

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The first was a thank-you from Ryan Giggs and no doubt there were more to follow from former teammates and manager at Old Trafford after Newcastle stole two points from Chelsea at St James' Park.

The texts were less friendly when United lost at St James' on New Year's Day, but yesterday, like their near-neighbours Middlesbrough, Newcastle failed to read the script for their role in the Premiership title race and they held back Jose Mourinho's team in a cagey encounter.

The Chelsea manager admitted: "Newcastle deserved their point. They defended very well, they were very fast in attack."

Newcastle supporters may rightly ask why a side unbeaten at home by the top four are struggling to even chase down the outside chance of an InterToto Cup place.

They annoyed the life out of Chelsea. Mourinho arrived bemoaning the failure of referees to award penalties against his title rivals at Old Trafford. And he left the northeast desperately claiming his team should have been awarded a 10thminute penalty when a weak shot brushed Stephen Carr's arm.

Later in the first half, Nolberto Solano fell on the ball and touched it with his hand but, as in the first instance, Mark Halsey correctly waved the claim away.

Not that the bleating halted there. John Terry was on a one-man mission to contest every decision and challenge against a Chelsea player. Mourinho has described his players as untouchables', now they are starting to play as if they believe it.

His late reaction to one robust challenge from Steve Taylor surprised even Halsey, who threatened him with a caution. By then Terry had started to lose the plot, too, with Andy Carroll, a 19-year-old in only his third top-level appearance. It was not a good afternoon for the champions, who had known victory would take them to within a point of Manchester United.

They were dealt an early blow when Germany captain Michael Ballack was forced off after failing to shake off the effects of a robust Titus Bramble challenge. Ballack had only himself to blame for the shin injury after failing to control a routine pass and then jumping into the tackle.

Ballack's withdrawal after just 18 minutes forced Mourinho to use young Mikel John Obi and the Chelsea manager, also now without the injured Ricardo Carvalho, spent several moments in consultation with the Nigeria international before deploying him on the left of midfield.

It was there that Newcastle enjoyed their best moments, with winger James Milner providing pace and power to trouble Paulo Ferreira at right back before forcing Terry and fellow centre half Michael Essien to clear in front of Petr Cech.

Not that the keeper was entirely protected throughout a poor first half. As early as the first minute Antoine Sibierski jumped at him in mid-air to reach Kieron Dyer's cross, causing utter confusion. Ferreira made a complete mess of his clearance before Cech gathered.

Sibierski also created openings for Dyer and Obafemi Martins, which were both off target and then Martins unleashed a trademark shot on the turn from Emre's neat pass, but dragged it wide.

Chelsea were restricted to longrange shooting. Bramble may have given Salomon Kalou early encouragement with a slip which allowed a shot from outside the area, but Steven Taylor blocked. The young Newcastle defender also threw his body in front of a Frank Lampard drive and took a Mikel shot full in the face but, to the delight of home supporters, barely blinked.

The game came to life just before the hour when Newcastle should have scored. Stand-in captain Butt played the best pass of the game to release Dyer beyond the Chelsea back four.

However, Cech was equal to Dyer's rare sprint, racing from his line and blocking the low shot with his feet. That at last provoked a response, although Kalou's attempt to walk the ball past Solano and Steve Harper backfired and Butt was able to almost walk the ball away from the goal-line from substitute Joe Cole's run and cross.

Sibierski and Martins both wasted free headers close to Cech's goal and, as time ticked by and chances failed to come, Mourinho threw on Andriy Shevchenko for Claude Makelele. The chances still failed to materialise, even when Cole had a late opportunity to cause chaos from a good position on the right. Chelsea, and Terry in particular, lost their heads in the latter stages. Lampard and Mikel were also booked for petulant fouls.

For the last 10 minutes, Roeder, who had decided not to risk Owen or Ameobi on his bench, turned to the lanky teenager Carroll, who scored a hat-trick for the reserves in midweek. His every touch holding the ball up to a determined Terry was applauded by Newcastle's fans.

He could have claimed hero status in Newcastle, and Manchester, if only he had shown more composure when played in by Emre in the last minute, but instead his cross missed three team-mates.

But then his wayward pass to Ferreira in injury time might have had the same effect on the residents of south-west London. The full back's long-distance shot also skipped awkwardly past Harper and only just cleared his far post.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Giggs might have been texting Butt with an entirely different message if that had flown in.