Boksic rescues Boro

Hasselbaink was once again amongst the goals

Chelsea 2-2 Middlesbrough

An injury-time penalty from Alen Boksic secured Middlesbrough an improbable point after Steve McClaren's side came back to cancel out Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's first-half brace.

Chelsea rarely found top gear as they drew for the second time at home this season having taken the lead.

Manager Claudio Ranieri took over from Gianluca Vialli a year ago to the day of this match.

That game, against Manchester United, also ended in a draw.

Middlesbrough only came into the match after Robbie Stockdale scored with 30 minutes to go.

In the opening period Middlesbrough's best chance fell to Jonathan Greening, but his header went over the bar after Ed de Goey had half-punched the ball clear.

We played very, very well for an hour- fantastic but lost it late on

Claudio Ranieri

After Stockdale's strike McClaren's team mounted a more determined challenge and both Boskic and Jason Gavin went close, before the Croatian saved the visitors.

Hasselbaink, who on Friday escaped a lengthy ban for his recent sending-off against Arsenal, did not take very long to celebrate his reprieve.

With barely three minutes gone Eidur Gudjohnsen, spotted the Dutchman making a forward run and slid the ball through to him.

Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Crossley raced from his line, but Hasselbaink poked the ball past him and calmly side-footed it into an empty net.

Foothold

Hasselbaink's reactions were just as sharp seven minutes before the interval when he turned sharply to smash home his sixth goal of the season.

Boudewijn Zenden's corner from the left bounced on the edge of the Middlesbrough six-yard box and hit Brain Deane in the chest.

Robbie Stockdale jumps for joy after scoring

As the ball dropped, Hasselbaink swivelled to thump a powerful shot past Crossley and into the roof of the net.

Just passed the hour Stockdale gave MIddlesbrough a foothold in the game.

The defender thumped a volley that deflected off William Gallas' forehead and into the net.

Referee Rob Styles, after consulting his linesman, awarded the penalty for a Graeme Le Saux handball in the game's dying stages.

The English international was adjudged to have handled Carlos Marinelli's cross.

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Chelsea: de Goey, Gallas, Desailly, Terry, Babayaro, Zenden, Lampard, Jokanovic, Melchiot, Gudjohnsen, Hasselbaink. Subs: Morris, Zola, Dalla Bona, Bosnich, Le Saux.

Middlesbrough: Crossley, Fleming, Cooper, Gavin, Southgate, Johnston, Greening, Ince, Mustoe, Deane, Boksic. Subs: Wilson, Nemeth, Marinelli, Stockdale, Beresford.

Referee: R Styles (Waterlooville)