Chelsea fumbled their lines when they had the chance to go top of the league.
A terrible second half performance saw the Blues leak two goals to be humbled by Newcastle United at St James'Ark in the early afternoon kick-off.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has never savoured victory against the Magpies and in a rain-soaked arena that troubling statistic continued.
A victory would have propelled the Londoners ahead of Arsenal to the top of the league, but the performance was lacklustre, disjointed and devoid of any sustained pressure on the Newcastle goal.
Fernando Torres, looked back to his worst and the men behind him who had scored the vast majority of the goals this season were unable to penetrate a resolute Newcastle rearguard.
Second half goals from Yoan Gouffran and a late strike from Loic Remy sealed victory for the home side, who on their second half performance alone deserved all three points.
Chelsea started the brighter and got a free-kick just outside the Newcastle penalty area on four minutes after Eden Hazard was sent tumbling.
David Luiz tried his luck but his smart curling right-footer inched over Tim Krul's crossbar.
Branislav Ivanovic charged down a Yoan Gouffran shot five minutes later as the home side finally made some inroads into Chelsea's half. This signal a good passage of play for the home side.
But from a corner on 12 minutes, Juan Mata whipped the ball in and it was met full on the meat of John Terry's forehead. Krul was beaten but not the crossbar. The ball bounced out and Ivanovic attempted a overhead kick which looped back towards goal but Krul snaffled the ball to safety.
A creeping sense of disillusionment seemed to take over the home players as the Blues out passed them, Gouffran throwing open his arms in frustration at his defenders a typical example.
But finally on399 minutes the unusually subsided Newcastle fans had something to have a cheer about - a shot on goal from long-range by Yohan Cabaye. His left-footer was as weak as the press room tea and Peter Cech took pity in the effort and made a save that wasn't really warranted.Terry almost scored with eight minutes of the half to go, but his downward header from a Frank Lampard corner was headed off the line by Mike Williamson.
Newcastle then broke quickly and Cech was forced into his first proper save of the game, diving to his right by his to collect a right-footed pile driver from Moussa Sissoko.
Sissoko then entered referee Lee Mason's book for a clumsily challenge from behind on Ivanovic.
The lack of any serious high tempo from Chelsea suited Newcastle who were content to sit back and absorb the pressure.
The second half opened with no changes from either side. But the dominance in possession remainder on the favour of the away side however, but they simply could not fashion an opening their superior tut dictated.
The first change was made by home boss Alan Pardew, bringing on Vurnon Anita for Cheick Tiote on 53 minutes.
A lung-busting run by Shola Ameobi should have been check by David Luiz on the hour but the powder puff challenge of the Brazil defender was brushed aside. This gave Newcastle added impetus as Chelsea started to crumble.
Cech brilliantly clawed away Sissoko's near post shot for a corner. From the resultant kick, the ball went to Loic Remy and his low drive produced another save from the Chelsea goalkeeper.
Jose Mourinho, sensing the tide was turning away from them, opened for changes and Torres and Mata were hauled off for Samuel Eto'o and Willian respectively on 62 minutes.
At the same time, Papiss Cisse replaced Ameobi.
Cech made the third of his saves within three minutes to thwart Gouffran's effort at his near post as Chelsea struggled to get to grips with the game. The majority of the 51, 674 sensing that the game was in their grasp.
The inevitable came as Newcastle took the lead on 67 minutes . A simple lofted free-kick by Cabaye was met by a downward header from Gouffran, eight yards out, who had skipped in front of Terry, and the Frenchman's effort lodged in the far corner of Cech's net.
Mourinho brought in wideman Andre Schurrle for Lampard in an attempt to level the game.
However only a brilliant last-gasp tackle from Terry prevented the Blues going two goals down when he intercepted The ball just as Remy was about to pull the trigger.
Eto'o claimed a penalty when his shot appeared to zip off the arm of a Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa. Mason opted to give a corner instead.
With the game now opening up, Chelsea were always susceptible to a quick counter-attack. Ramires sacrificed a free-kick and a yellow card as a consequence of one such move.
But while it was only one goal, it was a possible to grab one back and with 10 minutes to go, The blues had two excellent chances to do just that. firstly Willian arrowed an edge of he penalty area shot in target which Krul punched back. The ball fell to Eto'o and his drive was again parried away by the goalkeeper.
Sixty seconds later and Schurrle saw his far-post header creep just wide of the left upright as the away side produced their first sustained period of pressure for some time.
Pardew brought on Gabriel Obertan for goalscorer Gouffran with six minutes on the clock.
Hazard had a great chance, picking the ball up on the left, just inside the Newcastle penalty area, but he screwed his left-footer wide of Krul's goal as the seconds ticked down.
With Ivanovic, now permanently stationed as the central striker, a consequence of Mourinho's win or get hammered philosophy, it meant a severe lack of cover on the right for the blues.
And that decision allowed Newcastle to score with a minute on the clock.
The home side attacked, naturally on Chelsea's right side and the ball was cut into the path of Remy, who let fly with a speculative shot. It had the desired effect, smacking off Cech's right post and into the back of the net.
Teams
Chelsea, Cech, Ivanovic, Cole , Luiz, Ramires, Lampard, Torres, Mata, Oscar, Hazard, Terry
Subs, Schwarzer, Mikel, Schurrle, Willian, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Eto'o
Newcastle Utd, Krul, Santon, Cabaye, Williamson, Sissoko, Gouffran, Yanga-Mbiwa, are my, Ameobi,Tiote, Bebuchy
Subs, Elliot, Anita, Cisse, Ben Arfa, Obertan, Ameobi, Tavernier
Referee , Lee Mason