Chelsea vs Everton match report: John Terry's late goal denies Toffees famous win in enthralling game

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John Terry celebrates scoring a 98th-minute equaliser in the 3-3 draw between Chelsea and Everton (Getty Images)

It was an ending to sum up a game, and a game to sum up these two teams’ seasons: gloriously entertaining but atrociously error-strewn.

John Terry scored in the last second of extended stoppage time with a remarkable back-heel, both to atone for his own goal which marked the first strike of the game and ensure Chelsea again came from behind against Everton to secure a draw.

The captain was clearly offside but that “major, major error” – as Roberto Martinez described the refereeing call – was in some way fitting given the mistake-riddled 97 minutes that had preceded it. It also meant the trend of the game continued, with defenders contributing more to goals than keeping them out, even if some of the attacking was superb.

All of it added up to a brilliant match, but still one which doesn’t bode well for these sides’ seasons. Martinez was fuming afterwards about the extra injury time and offside call. “Refereeing-wise, you cannot justify, you cannot explain that level,” he said. “The players are really down… the refereeing today wasn’t up to the level. It’s clear-cut. The player is offside.”

Guus Hiddink said: “Roberto is right”, adding: “It’s such a difficult game to analyse.”

If the match left many questions about the sides, it also left one about the game itself: how could it go from so dull in the first half to so exciting after the break.

The first 45 minutes were awful, with only one brilliant Kevin Mirallas spin elevating it.

Everton, however, elevated their game as, for almost 20 minutes after the interval, they were unplayable as they went into a 2-0 lead.

Chelsea struggled even to get close to Everton’s gloriously fluid midfield and that kind of movement undeniably led to Terry getting himself into such a twist for the opening goal. The source, though, was Romelu Lukaku’s strength as he rampaged over his old club’s pitch as if it was his own. The Belgian fed Ross Barkley after a powerful run, Barclay played in Leighton Baines for a thumping ball across the box, and Terry awkwardly tried to clear, only for the ball to hit his other leg and go in.

If there was an element of comedy about that, there was only quality to the second Everton goal seven minutes later. A fluid, bewitching move ended with Mirallas setting himself up with one touch in the box before driving past Thibaut Courtois with the second.

You could only wonder why Everton are not higher in the league – but the explanation was not long in coming.

The oddity with Everton is that they are possibly the best 20-minute team in the league, capable of sensational levels for brief periods. It is almost like Martinez’s seasons with Wigan have been condensed into individual matches, where his teams are capable of switching it on suddenly for concentrated periods of games rather than concentrated spells of the season.

Ramiro Funes Mori celebrates his goal which looked to have won the game (Getty Images)

And we saw the other side of Everton – the defensive disorder – around 20 minutes after half-time. Then Cesc Fabregas played a supreme ball forward, only for Phil Jagielka and his goalkeeper, Tim Howard, to try meekly to clear and present Diego Costa with an easy finish.

Fabregas was suddenly the one running the game and got his reward when Costa returned the favour, playing a pass back for the midfielder to strike the equaliser through a John Stones deflection.

Stamford Bridge erupted but, amazingly, there was more chaos to come. Funes Mori was allowed the most casual of finishes just yards from the Chelsea line on 90 minutes to make to 3-2 from a divine Gerard Deulofeu ball, only for Terry to turn the game on its head again by so inventively scoring the equaliser.

Everton turned to the linesman. There was no call, in what Martinez described as a “heart-breaking moment”. Hiddink was the opposite, praising Chelsea’s “ambition” and “a point gained”. Both clubs are likely to end the season frustrated.

Chelsea: (4-2-3-1) Courtois; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic (Oscar, 55), Mikel; Willian, Fabregas, Pedro (Kenedy, 67); Costa (Rémy, 79).

Everton: (4-2-3-1) Howard; Oviedo (Funes Mori, 70), Stones, Jagielka, Baines; Besic, Barry; Lennon (Deulofeu, 80), Barkley, Mirallas (Pienaar, 79); Lukaku.

Referee: Michael Jones.

Man of the match: Fabregas (Chelsea).

Match rating: 9/10