Chelsea 1, Hull City 1

Feb 3, 2010 - 1:37 AM By CHRIS TUPLING STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - Boaz Myhill produced a superb exhibition of goalkeeping as Chelsea missed a glorious chance to go four points clear at the top of the Premier League, held 1-1 at Hull.

Chelsea's failure to overcome a team in the bottom three means Carlo Ancelotti's side are now only two points ahead of defending champions Manchester United.

Hull's unexpected point still leaves them in the relegations places but it gives them fresh hope of avoiding the drop.

Chelsea can have no complaints because apart from Myhill's heroics, Hull missed several clear chances to have further embarrassed them.

It all looked good for Chelsea before the match with Didier Drogba returning from the Africa Cup of Nations to lead the attack for the first time in 2010.

But after Nicholas Anelka and Michael Ballack had missed early chances for Chelsea it was Hull who took the lead on the half hour.

Stephen Hunt, subject of a failed Wolves bid on transfer deadline day, took a corner and Steven Mouyokolo headed in his first goal for Hull in his fifth start.

Chelsaa were stunned into retaliation and Drogba duly scored his 20th goal of the season after 42 minutes, curling in a free kick after Anelka had been fouled.

Anthony Gardner, scorer of a bizarre own goal in Hull's last game against Wolves, should have restored the Yorkshire club's lead but missed a header from six yards as Chelsea looked vulnerable.

John Terry, captain of England at the moment, was booked for a foul soon after the break before Jozy Altidore again missed for Hull from close range. The rest of the match belonged to Myhill who earlier this season produced a magnificent display to deny Tottenham.

Time and again Chelsea broke through only to be denied by Myhill's incredible display of reflex goalkeeping.

His best came in the 55th minute when he kept out Drogba and Terry with a double save and there was another memorable effort near the end to deny substitute Dean Sturridge a late winner.

In the end Chelsea had to be content with a draw as Myhill got a standing ovation from relieved Hull fans but the result throws the title race wide open.

Hull manager Phil Brown said:" I don't think it was a fluke or that we were unduly lucky. You do need a bit of luck against teams like Chelsea but I thought we were full value for a draw.

' We got a goal from a corner and I felt comfortable with the way we played until the equaliser..

Myhill produced some great saves but it was not a one-man performance. The whole team gave me everything."

Disappointed Ancelotti said:" We were not at our best. We took control in the second half but did not take our chances. The Hull goalkeeper was very good but we should have beaten him more than one time."