Heskey dents Blues title hopes

Midfielder Michael Essien looked to have given Chelsea three vital points with a 55th-minute opener, placing a rising drive past Chris Kirkland from Nicolas Anelka's set-up.

But Heskey struck in the 92nd minute to leave Chelsea five points adrift of Manchester United at the top of the table.

Wigan withstood Chelsea's early fire and created a real opportunity in the 19th minute when Wilson Palacios back-heeled the ball and Antonio Valencia forced Cech into a fine save at his near post.

Chelsea almost went in front in the 26th minute when a header from Anelka looked certain to loop over Kirkland and into the net until the Wigan goalkeeper somehow managed to get a hand to it.

In the 34th minute, a corner from Juliano Belletti was headed goalwards by Mikel John Obi only for Josip Skoko to clear off his goal-line.

Joe Cole's half-time introduction galvanised the Blues and John Terry thumped the ball against the crossbar when he let fly with a volley from Belletti's 53rd-minute corner.

But two minutes later Chelsea were finally in front when Cole's cross was collected by Anelka who looked to have wasted the chance when he slipped over but the Frenchman cleverly knocked the ball into the path of Michael Essien, who beat Kirkland with a rising drive.

Three minutes from time though Chelsea had masked-man Petr Cech to thank when he pulled off a superb save to deny Antoine Sibierski.

But Heskey volleyed home a cross from Jason Koumas to leave the gap at the top looking almost too wide for Chelsea to close.