Champions Chelsea required a deflected Frank Lampard free-kick to claim a 1-0 win at Reading and regain parity with leaders Manchester United at the top of the Premiership.

The victory came at a cost, however, as goalkeepers Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini were both carried off on an evening when expensive summer signing Mikel Jon Obi was also red-carded.

Chelsea must now prepare for their Stamford Bridge showdown with Barcelona in midweek in fear of having to play their third-choice goalkeeper.

Reading, who also finished with 10 men following the sending-off of Andre Bikey, made Chelsea fight all the way - literally on some occasions as erratic referee Mike Riley struggled to maintain control - and striker Kevin Doyle hit a post in the first half.

The result ended a 31-game unbeaten run at the Madejski Stadium for the Premiership newcomers, who had seen manager Steve Coppell named manager of the month following a fine start to the campaign few pundits had predicted.

That this was to be no dull evening was apparent from the very first minute when Stephen Hunt marked his first Premiership start by catching Cech a blow to the head as the goalkeeper slid out to collect a through-ball.

The Czech international was carried off following four minutes of treatment to be replaced by Cudicini.

Reading defender Ivar Ingimarsson quickly identified himself as the game's most conspicuous character by heading a good early chance wide after Hunt had picked him out from a corner.

Chelsea replied with a long-range effort from Andriy Shevchenko that Marcus Hahnemann was able to deal with, but the American goalkeeper was completely flummoxed by Ingimarsson's next contribution.

That was a header onto his own bar after Paulo Ferreira, one of four changes to the Chelsea line-up, had supplied a pacy cross from the right.

Arjen Robben fired a good opportunity across goal and wide, before Ingimarsson was booked for barging into Shevchenko just before the half-hour mark.

Reading's best opportunity of the half arrived four minutes later when Doyle, whose penalty had set up a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in the previous home match, struck a post.

Hunt had set up the chance with a run into the danger zone from the left that combined control with persistence and Doyle, shooting on the turn, saw his effort smack Cudicini's left-hand post.

Royals skipper Graeme Murty limped off soon after to be replaced by Andre Bikey as the champions finished the half strongly.

First Didier Drogba fired a free-kick over and then forced a save from Hahnemann, before fortune favoured Mourinho's men in the shape of a stoppage-time lead.

Lampard won a free-kick in the `D' as Ibrahima Sonko challenged and the defender's booking seemed especially harsh as the England man appeared to have gone down all too easily.

Worse misfortune was the follow for the home side as Lampard's low free-kick was diverted past Hahnemann off the boot of - inevitably - the luckless Ingimarsson.

John Terry was booked for dissent on 52 minutes after the England skipper had needed to be smart to prevent Leroy Lita from getting on the end of a Doyle cross.

The speed Hunt was allowed to take a free-kick was presumably Terry's main beef with referee Riley.

Michael Essien needed treatment just before the hour after being caught in the face as Doyle challenged and in the 62nd minute Chelsea were down to 10 men when Mikel received his second yellow.

The Nigerian, who had been booked in the 43rd minute for tripping Hunt, hauled Sonko back by the shoulders and had to go.

Joe Cole, back after a knee injury, came on for Shevchenko straight afterwards and instantly sparked a mass shoving match by going to ground as Steve Sidwell challenged.

Sidwell then fired a long-range shot narrowly wide before Reading sent Shane Long on for Lita with 17 minutes remaining.

A Bikey booking, for a foul on Drogba, followed and when the Cameroon international impeded the striker again, he was also banished to the stands to make it 10 against 10 for the remaining six minutes.

The final act of an extraordinary match saw Drogba hook a goal-bound header from Nicky Shorey away before it could cross the line in stoppage time.

Cudicini was on the ground at that point, having been clattered by Sonko as Reading piled bodies forward in search of a last-gasp equaliser.

Again play was held up at length, again the Chelsea goalkeeper was unable to continue and Terry had to go in goal for the remaining seconds.