Frank Lampard spoilt Graham Taylor's return as Aston Villa manager by snatching a second-half equaliser for comeback kings Chelsea.

Skipper Paul Merson had looked to have given Taylor the perfect start in his quest for a European place with his third goal of the campaign.

But then former England Under-21 skipper Lampard popped up to rescue a point for the Blues.

Taylor had called for a more purposeful approach to try and improve Villa's goal tally and create extra chances for record signing Juan Pablo Angel.

But little was seen of the Colombia international who is reported to be unhappy and looking to quit the midlands club in the summer.

The few sparks up front were provided by Dariuds Vassell but the home side found Marcel Desailly and John Terry in impressive form at the heart of the Blues defence.

Gorge Boateng worked hard in midfield for Villa and there were a few flashes of skill from Merson.

But Chelsea have showed they should never be written off after stirring comebacks to win against Leicester and West Ham in the past week.

And only an uncharacteristic miss by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in the closing minutes prevented Chelsea from completing a trio of victories.

Taylor received a tumultuous welcome from the 40,000 crowd as he made his way to the dug-out to begin his second spell at the helm 12 years after leaving to take charge of England.

The current England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson and Under-21 boss David Platt were amongst the onlookers.

But it was Chelsea who were the first to seriously threaten when a cross from Graeme Le Saux picked out Hasselbaink at the near post only for the 24-goal front man to head wide.

Chelsea looked more purposeful in the early stages but the home side started to come more into the game and skipper Merson curled a 25-yard shot just off target.

Then after 28 minutes it was Merson who broke the deadlock with his third goal of the campaign.

Boateng, in the Holland squad to face England on Wednesday, sent in Vassell and he burst into the box only for his shot to ricochet off Desailly.

But the alert Merson was on hand to stick out his leg and divert the ball past Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini into the corner of the net.

Chelsea tried to retaliate and woeful control by Mario Stanic let him down after he had found himself in plenty of space inside the Villa penalty area.

At the other end Mustapha Hadji was only just too high with a cross-shot after being picked out by Merson.

Then Villa defender Olof Mellberg got in a vital block tackle to deny Eidur Gudjohnsen after he had delayed his shot whilst bursting into the penalty area.

It was Gudjohnsen who wasted Chelsea's best chance of the opening half when Desailly squared the ball back into the path and, from barely six yards out, he lofted his shot over the crossbar.

Villa sent on Gareth Barry at half-time for the injured Mellberg and he slotted in at left-back with Jlloyd Samuel moving into the centre alongside Steve Staunton.

The home side had a chance to double their lead when Terry brought down Vassell 25 yards out but Angel lofted the free-kick past the post.

Gudjohnsen went for glory after receiving the ball deep in the Villa half when the overlapping Sam Dalla Bona was in plenty of space and his shot trickled through to Peter Enckelman.

Claudio Ranieri made a double substitution, sending on Gianfranco Zola and Mikael Forssell and switching to a 3-5-2 system - and within a minute the visitors were back on level terms.

Zola's delightful floated pass caught Villa napping and Hasselbaink nodded the ball down into the path of Frank Lampard who drilled a low shot past Enckelman.

Forssell was then only inches too high with a curling effort while at the other end a Merson volley was deflected over the bar.

Terry made an important block to deny the alert Vassell and Enckelman was fortunate that a deflected Hasselbaink free-kick flew straight into his arms.

Hasselbaink then raced clear of the Villa defence but screwed his shot past the far post while Enckelman made a fine block to keep out a last-ditch effort from Stanic.

Teams:

Aston Villa: Enckelman, Delaney, Mellberg (Barry 45), Staunton, Samuel, Hadji, Hendrie (Stone 57), Boateng, Merson, Vassell (Dublin 87), Angel.

Subs Not Used: Myhill, Balaban.

Booked: Samuel.

Goals: Merson 28.

Chelsea: Cudicini, Ferrer (Zola 63), Desailly, Terry (Keenan 76), Le Saux, Dalla Bona, Petit, Lampard, Stanic, Gudjohnsen (Forssell 63), Hasselbaink.

Subs Not Used: de Goey, Jokanovic.

Booked: Dalla Bona.

Goals: Lampard 65.

Att: 41,137

Ref: P Durkin (Dorset).