FLORENT MALOUDA scored the winner at 5pm on a Saturday afternoon to keep Chelsea on top of the Premier League with a 100 per cent record.
The French winger fired in long after every other top flight 3pm kick-off had finished to make it the cruellest of afternoons for Tony Pulis' battlers.
The Potters had laid their bodies on the line to bring an end to Chelsea's unblemished start to the season and deny them a ninth consecutive Premier League win.
And after losing both James Beattie and goalkeeper Thomas Sorenson to injuries, it even looked like they might go one better, when Abdoulaye Faye headed them in front.
But after Didier Drogba had cancelled out the Senegal powerhouse's header, Chelsea laid onslaught to the home goal and were eventually rewarded.
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti was relieved to come away with the points.
He said: "We got what we deserved because we tried to attack all the time.
"To be top of the league is very important. We have good confidence in our play and a very good atmosphere in the dressing room.
"We are doing very well and want to continue in this good position for as long as we can."
The first-half was an injury-wracked affair and the game had barely kicked-off before the returning Beattie was stretched off with an ankle injury.
Sorenson also had to be replaced by sub stopper Steve Simonsen after he went down awkwardly after claiming a cross, whilst Ashley Cole, John Terry and the usual suspect Drogba all received treatment for injuries as the half went EIGHT MINUTES into stoppage time.
Faye's opener was a shocking defensive goal from Chelsea's view.
Petr Cech rushed out into no-man's land to allow a lofted header to sail over to him and give the Potters a 32nd minute lead.
Chelsea made four changes as Ancelotti tried to balance keeping the 100 per cent start going with trying to stay fresh for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Porto.
Branislav Ivanovic, John Obi Mikel, Salomon Kalou and Florent Malouda all reappeared in the starting line-up.
But it was target man Drogba who got the equaliser, picking up Frank Lampard's pass to drive a left foot strike into the top corner.
Stoke, who had lost just two of their last 18 home games, also made four changes with Robert Huth, who had a spell at the visitors, and Danny Collins making their full debuts. Dean Whitehead and Beattie also returned.
Drogba's equaliser saved Chelsea's half-time blushes in front of Ancelotti but whatever the Italian still said sparked them into life at the start of the second-half.
Ashley Cole was cautioned for a foul on Ricardo Fuller and Stoke could have taken the lead when Dave Kitson headed straight at Cech but after that it was all the visitors.
Nicolas Anelka came on for Kalou as they threw everything at Stoke — but it still didn't look like it would be enough until Malouda's late, late intervention.
Pulis was proud of his players battling performance.
He said: "We haven't got the quality Chelsea have. I hold my hands up to that. They are a very good side. But our attitude and commitment and everyone's willingness to work will take us a long way."
Stoke: Sorensen (Simonsen 41), Wilkinson, Huth, Abdoulaye Faye, Shawcross, Collins, Delap, Whitehead, Whelan, Beattie (Fuller 12), Kitson (Sanli 66). Subs Not Used: Higginbotham, Lawrence, Pugh, Etherington. Booked: Shawcross, Delap, Wilkinson. Goals: Abdoulaye Faye 32.
Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Ashley Cole, Mikel (Belletti 83), Ballack (Essien 66), Malouda, Lampard, Kalou (Anelka 64), Drogba. Subs Not Used: Hilario, Carvalho, Sturridge, Hutchinson. Booked: Kalou, Terry, Ashley Cole. Goals: Drogba 45, Malouda 90.
Att: 27,440
Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).
Att: 27,440
Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).
