Heskey leveller edges Wigan towards safety and dents title hopes for hosts.

Emile Heskey scored a dramatic equaliser in the second minute of the stoppage time after he converted a cross from substitute Jason Koumas from the left wing leaving Wigan's number nine to volley the ball past Petr Cech from six yards.

Latics had worked hard to frustrate Chelsea but they looked like they would be heading back to Lancashire pointless after Michael Essien's 55th minute opener. Chelsea increased their tempo as the second half wore on, but Latics' persistence paid off as they grabbed a vital point to increase the gap from the relegation zone to six points with four games remaining.

Out of the "big four", Chelsea are now the third successive club to fail to beat Latics after draws against Arsenal and Liverpool since the New Year.

The Londoners had taken the lead when substitute Joe Cole crossed for Nicolas Anelka and the Frenchman teed up the Ghanian who drove the ball past Chris Kirkland and into the top corner of the net.

Although the Stamford Bridge club might have been clear favourites before the match, they were certainly frustrated by a solid and stubborn Latics performance after manager Steve Bruce put his trust into the same starting eleven that beat Birmingham last weekend.

Although Wigan left it late to get a result, but there were early warning signs for Chelsea as defender Paul Scharner, who has proved solid for the majority of the season, had a superb chance in the 17th minute when Heskey received a throw-in and he laid the ball off to the huge Austrian whose shot was blocked by Chelsea skipper John Terry.

Latics had another chance just a minute later when winger Antonio Valencia forced Cech into a great save, palming the ball around the post.

But Chelsea did have their chances too, and Kirkland had to remain alert in the 26th minute as he turned over Anelka's looping header over the bar.

Australian midfielder Josip Skoko who has made a big impact recently saved Latics as he cleared away a Salomon Kalou header from Juliano Belletti's corner.

In the second half, the woodwork came to the rescue as another Belletti corner had found Terry, and the defender's volley smashed agains the bar before Kalou followed with a shot only to see it blocked with a fine save by Kirkland.

Chelsea had looked to see the game out but a late burst of pressure from Latics worried Avram Grant's side. Substitute Antonie Sibierski saw his shot parried by Cech shortly before the end of normal time, and the Frenchman drove the ball across the face of the goal leaving it to Valencia who came charging in, but the ball was cleared away by Brazilian defender Alex.

But Wigan's pressure paid off as Heskey's late equaliser inched the club towards Premier League safety.

LATICS: Kirkland; Melchiot (c), Scharner, Boyce, Kilbane; Valencia, Skoko (Koumas 56), Palacios, Taylor (King 77); Heskey, Bent (Sibierski 64).

UNUSED SUBS: Pollitt, Brown.

BOOKED: Koumas, Valencia.

GOALS: Heskey 90 + 2

CHELSEA: Cech; Belletti, Alex, Terry, Bridge; Ballack, Essien, Obi; Kalou, Anelka, Malouda (J. Cole 46)

UNUSED SUBS: Hilario, Shevchenko, Pizarro, Wright-Phillips.

GOALS: Essien 55.

REFEREE: Andre Marriner

ATTENDANCE: 40,487