BURNLEY took advantage of Nemanja Matic’s red card to claim a superb point at Premier League leaders Chelsea thanks to Ben Mee’s late equaliser.

Chelsea led through Branislav Ivanovic’s 14th-minute goal but Matic was sent off with 20 minutes remaining after reacting to a challenge from Ashley Barnes.

Mee then headed home Kieran Trippier’s corner in the 81st minute.

Burnley made an encouraging start and although Tom Heaton tipped Juan Cuadrado’s header over the bar from a Filipe Luis cross, Thibaut Courtois had to save Ashley Barnes’ fierce 20-yard volley at the other end.

But Chelsea briefly stepped up a gear and took the lead in the 14th minute when Eden Hazard darted past David Jones and Ben Mee inside the box before pulling the ball back for right back Ivanovic to scuff past Heaton from close range.

Oscar quickly saw an effort kept out by Heaton as Chelsea sought a second goal, although Barnes had another shot saved for Burnley.

The hosts had two penalty appeals turned down before half time – the first for handball from a thunderous Ivanovic shot, the second as Diego Costa went down rather easily under Jason Shackell’s challenge.

But Burnley had given a decent account of themselves in the first half and remained firmly in the game going into the second period.

Barnes went close to an equaliser soon after the interval as his deflected effort was turned wide by Courtois, although Scott Arfield made an important block on the line at the other end to prevent Matic from turning in Ivanovic’s header from a corner.

Hazard then played in Costa but the striker could not get a good connection on his angled left-foot save and Heaton saved comfortably.

Chelsea were starting to dominate territory but the game changed in the 70th minute when Barnes caught Matic on the shin with a tackle and the Serbian got to his feet, charged after the Burnley forward and pushed him to the ground.

Matic received a straight red card from Martin Atkinson, while Ivanovic was booked for trying to take the card out of the referee’s hand.

Chelsea sub Ramires fired inches wide of the top corner form 25 yards but Burnley pushed forward and came agonisingly close to a leveller when Courtois made a superb save to turn Barnes’ low shot around the post.

The equaliser came seconds later from the resulting corner, though, as Kieran Trippier swung the ball in from the left and Mee rose highest to head home from six yards.

Chelsea, who had been about to bring on Gary Cahill for Diego Costa before the goal, instead summoned Didier Drogba in place of Filipe Luis but Cesc Fabregas missed a chance to give the hosts victory when he fired over from a good position.

Danny Ings had a similarly good chance late on, however, as he raced clear only for Ramires to force him back on to his left foot, and the striker fired over.

Burnley: Tom Heaton; Kieran Trippier, Michael Keane, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee; George Boyd, Scott Arfield, David Jones, Michael Kightly (Sam Vokes 79); Ashley Barnes, Danny Ings. Subs not used: Matt Gilks, Michael Duff, Stephen Ward, Steven Reid, Ross Wallace, Lukas Jutkiewicz.

Chelsea: Thibaut Courtois; Branislav Ivanovic, Kurt Zouma, John Terry, Filipe Luis (Didier Drogba 86); Oscar (Ramires 72), Nemanja Matic, Cesc Fabregas; Juan Cuadrado (Willian 63), Diego Costa, Eden Hazard. Subs not used: Petr Cech, Gary Cahill, Cesar Azpilicueta, Loic Remy.

Referee: Martin Atkinson.

Attendance: 41,629.