CarlingNet - No 1 for Match Reports

Chelsea v Aston Villa 15/09/96 4.00

Chelsea                 (1) 1 Aston Villa             (1) 1 FT
Leboeuf 45                    Townsend 18

Sweeper Frank Leboeuf's third goal of the season maintained Chelsea's unbeaten start to their Premiership campaign.

But Aston Villa, armed with former Chelsea captain Andy Townsend's 17th minute opener, earned a point at Stamford Bridge despite being pinned back firmly on defence after Leboeuf's equaliser in first-half stoppage time.

Villa's muscular defensive methods inflamed the home crowd and referee Jeff Winter was roundly abused by the frustrated Chelsea fans despite booking five Villa players.

Villa, caught by late goals in their previous two matches, put up the shutters in the second half after slightly edging the first and rarely looked like being breached again even though keeper Michael Oakes had to make a fine save from a typical late volley by Mark Hughes.

Skipper Townsend had already gone close with a spectacular diving header in only the sixth minute from Steve Staunton's perfect cross before giving Villa the lead.

He beat keeper Kevin Hitchcock ten minutes later with a rising shot over Chelsea's defensive wall from Mark Draper's short free-kick.

Hitchcock, standing in for injured Dmitri Kharine did well to save the header but could only help Townsend's effort on the way into the net with a flailing arm.

At the other end, Oakes turned Craig Burley's chip over the bar and Gareth Southgate produced a goal-saving, last-ditch tackle on Roberto di Matteo before Villa went ahead.

But the Blues could have fallen further behind from another free kick in an almost identical position to the first goal. This time Draper drove just wide with Hitchcock rooted to his line.

The keeper moved much faster to deny Sasa Curcic who wriggled clear to shoot from close range after a swapping passes with fellow Serb Savo Milosevic.

And Milosevic was soon needed in defence to stop Leboeuf's penetrating run from the back although it cost the Villa striker a booking for a desperate challenge from behind.

The free kick was unproductive but was the signal for a sustained spell of Chelsea pressure and Townsend and Ugo Ehiogu were both booked as they tried to stem the flow.

And another free kick led to Chelsea's equaliser in first-half injury-time. Dan Petrescu was fouled on the touchline but was up from tratment in time to latch onto a half-clearance of Dennis Wise's set-piece probe.

He took the ball across the edge of the box before picking out Mark Hughes who applied the faintest of touches with his head to confound Oakes and allow Leboeuf a close-range tap-in.

Just on the half time whistle Wise hit a thundering shot from 25 yards just over the angle.

And Chelsea camped in Villa's half for much of the second period after switching to a 4-3-3 formation having lost central defender Erland Johnsen through injury and brought on 17 year old midfielder Jody Morris as substitute.

But the save of the match still had to come from Hitchcock - in fact, a brilliant double-stop from Fernando Nelson's long-range blast and then Milosevic's follow-up effort which the keeper saved with a foot.

Villa suffered further yellow cards with Nelson and substitute Tommy Johnson booked for reckless tackles but clearly believed the end justified the means.