Chelsea

Any sense of choking anti-climax which might normally have strangled Chelsea appeared to have eased by the time this squad strolled through their post-match lap of honour in the sunshine. The likelihood of their pursuit of Manchester United yielding the Premier League title had always been slim. In the end those efforts did indeed prove futile, though there were still smiles from the players and appreciation from the fans in the aftermath.

Forget failure; there was some satisfaction to be had in coming close. To have extended the title race into the final 10 minutes of the season as the hosts effectively did here represented a considerable achievement in itself, and one that was clearly recognized by Roman Abramovich, present for the first time since March 23, as he clapped his employees from his box then shared his appreciation with the team in the dressing-room.

The mood of optimism that had briefly flared when wild rumors swept around this arena after almost 20 minutes, emanating in the Shed end, that Wigan led in Lancashire had only briefly carried this club's hopes. Ryan Giggs' 80th minute goal for United at the JJB ultimately pricked the mood here for good.

The real news Chelsea had to savor was confirmation that John Terry's dislocated elbow, sustained in an early inadvertent aerial challenge with his own goalkeeper Petr Cech, would not rule him out of the Champions League final in Moscow next week. The joint had apparently been "popped back in" in the ambulance as the home captain was whisked away for an x-ray. The centre-half was back for the stroll on the turf after the final whistle, his arm in a sling and his mood defiant with the European Cup still to be lifted. United will confront a side sustained by self-belief in Moscow rather than a team left crestfallen and deflated.

There was even appreciation from the supporters - perhaps not raucous, but noticeable nevertheless - for Avram Grant. The Israeli embraced his children, held his arms aloft to those in the stands, and can focus with relish on the trip to Russia in the days to come.

Didier Drogba, ice strapped to his left knee, will need to be rehabiliated swiftly. Yet even the African mustered a smile after the game, hauling a topless and tatooed fan from the stands to be photographed with Michael Essien and Claude Makelele on the touchline. That the home side had failed to win this contest, surely the bare minimum requirement expected of them, hardly seemed to matter with the destiny of the title having been decided in the distant north-west.

Chelsea might have been tighter in the final exchanges had events at Wigan taken a more favourable course. Realisation had dawned on the hosts by the time Alex's poor clearance fell to Matthew Taylor in the penalty area deep into stoppage time for the Bolton midfielder to scuff an equaliser beyond the Brazilian and through Cech's legs. Wanderers merited reward of a kind for their tireless efforts. Some of the visiting supporters wore Banana Man costumes but, if this was a side that had been celebrating survival all week as Sir Alex Ferguson had suggested, then professionalism had demanded this display.

Bolton have been flimsy at times this season, but there was no fancy dress out on the pitch. Gary Megson borrowed a Chelsea baseball cap to protect his pate from the sun but even taped over the home side's badge. His side gave everything to frustrate the Londoners and United could have no complaints. Taylor also struck the bar with a looping header, Ashley Cole scrambling Stelios Giannakopoulos' follow-up from the goal-line, though theirs was an approach born of solid defence.

Gretar Steinsson and Joey O'Brien tackled feverishly, Gary Cahill and Andrew O'Brien were superb at the centre of defence and Ali al Habsi excelled at their back. Megson had included two substitute goalkeepers on his bench, with Ian Walker suffering from a stomach bug and Jussi Jaaskelainen deemed necessary in case either Al Habsi or his deputy could not feature, though the Omani blocked everything Chelsea flung at him. His touch over from Drogba's battered attempt while the game was still goalless prompted wailed fury in the stands. He was just as athletic in touching Florent Malouda's shot, looping up off Cahill's attempted block, on to the crossbar as Chelsea sought relief in reward.

It took over an hour before the visitors cracked at last. An inability to clear a corner left Bolton exposed, Frank Lampard's shot across the area veering beyond Jlloyd Samuel for Andriy Shevchenko, having been summoned from the bench at the interval, to touch in at the far post off Al Habsi's desperate attempt to save. Abramovich sprung to his feet with this stadium, hope rekindled in the knowledge that a Wigan goal to claw United back to parity was all it would take for Chelsea to squeeze breathing space at the top. The leaders' second, relayed in the groans from those in blue, dashed those aspirations.

The home side, rendered truly helpless for the first time this term, knew they could do little more with everything so dependent upon the Latics. Their title challenge had always been a game of catch-up, with points having been surrendered early in the campaign, but a 21-match unbeaten league run stretching back to mid-December remains remarkable. Grant can take satisfaction in that achievement though, for this club, real solace can be found in Moscow. The chance to make history remains.

Man of the match: Gary Cahill (Bolton Wanderers).

The visiting captain was outstanding as he attempted to nullify Didier Drogba, with this an inspirational performance to douse the home side's aspirations.Moment: The early clearance from near his goal-line which set the tone for Chelsea's afternoon of frustration.