CHELSEA remain five points adrift in the race for Champions League qualification after a disappointing stalemate at the Bridge.

Given that it is 22 years since Spurs won at the Bridge, it will irk the Blues that they could not close the gap on their north London rivals.

It is not often that these two serve up sub-standard fare, but for once the game did not live up to expectations – even if the game picked up considerably after a hugely forgettable first half.

It was almost as if there was a collective downing of tools in protest at having to work in elevated spring temperatures.

An unofficial time out just past the half hour seemed to sum it up. This was a drinks break more in keeping with a day at Lord's than a lunchtime at Stamford Bridge.

You certainly would not have guessed the game had a potentially vital bearing on the race for Champions League qualification.

We had to wait until the final seconds of the half to witness anything remotely resembling excitement after a soporific 45 minutes.

Then, Gareth Bale found Luka Modric overlapping and a low cross offered up an inviting chance for Rafael Van der Vaart, that luckily, for Chelsea, fell to his right foot.

Petr Cech made himself big to block the Dutchman's first effort and Ashley Cole flung himself to block the rebound. The loose ball was then headed over by Emmanuel Adebayor, who looked the liveliest player on show in that first half, even if that is not saying much.

The game had to pick up after the break and when Didier Drogba guided a header into space on the left edge of the Spurs penalty area, Daniel Sturridge's shot roused the Matthew Harding end from their slumbers, even though it was comfortably wide.

Bale responded for Spurs with a burst past Ramires down the middle, which opened up a chance for Kyle Walker's low effort into the side netting.

With the pace picking up, Chelsea had a big shout for a penalty when Ramires appeared to be impeded by Benoit Assou-Ekotto as he tried to get on the end of a low Sturridge cross from the left.

The Blues came closest to breaking the deadlock on 73 minutes when Juan Mata floated a delightful free-kick against the inside of a post - with Brad Friedel static and miles away from it.

Tottenham's most dangerous moment came when Adebayor rounded Cech after latching onto a sweet chip from Modric, but Gary Cahill got back to cover as the striker was forced into a difficult angle. Then, from the resulting corner, Bale headed against the crossbar.

Cech was also called upon to make a late save to keep out a swerving Bale free-kick, but it was not a shot he would have expected to beat him.

Line-up: Cech; Bosingwa (Luiz 60), Cahill, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Essien (Torres 75), Lampard, Sturridge (Kalou 89), Drogba, Mata. Subs not used: Turnbull, Mikel, Malouda, Meireles.

Attendance: 41,830

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