John Terry's last-gasp winner against Everton at Stamford Bridge this afternoon secured three vital league points that keeps the Blues top of the pile.
He got the final touch after Frank Lampard arrowed in a deep free kick, three minutes into added time at the end of the game.
Everton more than matched the home side for effort, and had the odd chance themselves.
A draw was merited but don't say that to Terry.
Chelsea started brightly forcing a early corner as Everton were forced into a very late change in line-up.
Lacina Traore injured himself in the warm-up allowing Steven Naismith to come off the bench.
Luke Garbutt was drafted in from the stands to take his place in the dug out.
However Chelsea's defence was not without it's problems and gary Cahill was forced to clear desperately from his six-yard line.
Oscar entered Lee Probert's book for a clumsy challenge on Naismith on 10 minutes.
The visitors forced Petr Cech into a spectacular finger-tip save from a Leon Osman 25-yard zipper two minutes later.
The ball seemed destined for Cech's top left hand corner but he somehow managed to inch the ball over his crossbar.
Cahill was called on again to spare Chelsea's blushes on 17 minutes, this time, preventing Kevin Mirallas's scuffed shot from going in by Cech's right post. The England defender stuck out his right leg to deflect the goal-bound ball for a corner.
The Blues's first shot on target came in 29 minutes when Cesar Azpilicueta hit a smart low righ-footer from the edge of the pen
However, Tim Howard, however was not fazed and easily got his body behind the effort.
Howard produced a fine diving save from Samuel Eto'o with nine minutes of the half to go as misfiring Chelsea attempted to break the deadlock.
A John Terry header from an Oscar corner was only inches wide as the home side forced the issue.
Jose Mourinho decided that the awful first half display by Oscar was rewarded with the Brazil midfielder being substituted at half-time. Ramires taking his place.
Lampard had two shots on target five minutes Into the restart, both time Howard was equal to the task.
Cech was at his very best on 58 minutes diving to his left to parry away an Osman shot.
It was then ping-pong goalkeeping saves as Howard saved from Hazard's left footer, then that was followed by a brilliant near post save from an Ivanovic blaster.
Mourinho then introduced Fernando Torres for Willian to beef up the attack.
Everton boss Roberto Martines brought on Ross Barkley for Osman.
Mourinho responded by bringing on Herman Andre Schurrle for Eto'o on 69 minutes.
Everton's second substitution saw Spanish Gerad Deulofeu enter the fray for Mirallas with 15 minutes of the match remaining.
The Blues should have scored a minute later when Hazard produced a piece of magic on the edge of the Everton penalty area, However Torres got in the way and decided to take over. his sliced shot was a bit embarrassing as it needed up in row z of the Matthew Harding Stand.
Everton's Aiden McGeady was the final substitution, Steven Pienaar leaving the pitch.
Schurrle had a couple of long-range efforts off target as they went for a vital win.
A Ramires effort was a tad closer but not close enough to beach the Everton rearguard.
Deep into the third minute of the allotted five extra minutes and the Blues got the winner.
After Ramires was bundled over on the left, Lampard stepped up to take the free-kick
The England midfielder drove the perfect low, but dipping 35-yarder straight I to the middle of the six-yard box.
Skipper John Terry was first to react and guided a deft left-footer past the diving Howard into the empty net.
The Blues survived a late rally from Everton but it's the Londoners who took all points and stay top.
Teams: Chelsea, Cech, Ivanovic, Lampard, Oscar, Hazard, Matic, Willian, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Eto'o
Subs, Schwarzer, Cole, Ramires, Torres, Schurrle, Salah, Ba
Everton, Howard, Baines, Jagielka, Mirallas, Distin, McCarthy, Barry, Osman, Pienaar, Coleman, Traore
Subs, Robles, Hibbert, McGeady, Deulofeu, Naismith, Barkley, Stones
Ref, Lee Probert