FRASER Forster broke Saints’ shut-out record – but could not stop Chelsea from ending the club’s six-match unbeaten run.

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Shane Long gave Saints a half-time lead with his tenth goal of the season, cutely dinking the ball over Thibaut Courtois and into the bottom of the far in the 42nd minute.

But Chelsea responded with two goals in the last 15 minutes, a controversial equaliser from Cesc Fabregas and a powerful Branislav Ivanovic header from a corner, to snatch a dramatic 2-1 victory.

It was cruel on Saints who deservedly led for 33 minutes.

Forster had set a new Saints’ shut-out record in the 34th minute. But the new record was set at 708 minutes when Fabregas found the far corner with a cross-cum-shot after referee Martin Atkinson ignored his linesman's raised flag for a foul on Cedric Soares.

With Saints at least looking set for a point, Ivanovic beat Virgil Van Dijk to head in the 88th-minute winner from Willian’s flag-kick.

It did not take long to be reminded of the array of riches that Saints were up against.

Pedro was injured early on but Guus Hiddink was able to replace the multi-trophy-winning former Barcelona man with Brazilian international Oscar inside the first five minutes.

This Saints side has no shortage of class either and they gave as good as they got during a fascinating first half, which culminated in the opening goal.

Very attractive though Chelsea’s build-up play was, they could have no complaints.

Van Dijk whipped over a tempting cross that created the first chance of the game for Long, which the Irishman headed over at the far post.

Steven Davis cleared off the line following a Chelsea corner before being booked for foul on Fabregas just inside the Saints half midway through the first half.

There continued to be chances at both ends.

Cedric’s header clear from Eden Hazard’s cross after a driving run from Willian kept Chelsea at bay.

But Forster was soon called on to make his first save of note, diving low to his left to keep out Oscar’s 20-yarder before Costa, having turned Van Dijk, unleashed a 25 yarder that flew high and wide.

Davis’s pass into Austin saw the new man spin and shoot in the same slick movement but his low, powerful left-footer from the edge of the box was narrowly wide of Courtois’s left-hand post.

Saints continued to defend well against Costa as he attempted to thread his way through a packed penalty area as the clock ticked to the 34th minute and confirmation of a new goalkeeping record for the club.

Forster raised his hand in acknowledgement of the applause that greeted the milestone.

Willian was a mesmeric presence in the Chelsea midfield as the visitors played keep-ball, but they continued to be restricted to shots from long range for the most part.

Saints’ confidence in defence was evident and Long is not short of the stuff himself.

Capitalising on a poor header from Baba, he took the chance to score the 42nd-minute opener with composure and alacrity, sending a deft dink over the diving Courtois and into the far corner for his tenth of the season.

Chelsea began the second half brightly. Kenedy, on at half-time for the hapless Baba, made an important clearance but Mikel headed wide from close range after Cahill had hooked a Willian corner back into the danger zone.

Hazard’s inviting cross from the right was volleyed over on the run by Costa at the far post.

Clearly frustrated, the Spaniard gave away free-kick for grappling with Van Dijk and was then booked for a foul on the Dutchman as he tried to chase down a through ball.

Former Chelsea man Bertrand also went in Martin Atkinson’s book when he raised an arm in a challenge for an aerial ball with Costa.

With tempers short, Clasie was also booked for a foul on Willian.

Austin was just beaten to Long’s cross from the left and Van Dijk fired just wide from the resulting corner when, midway through the second half, Long hobbled off to be replaced by Graziano Pelle.

Saints had a good shout for a penalty when Austin, put clean through by Davis's brilliantly lobbed pass, was challenged from behind by Cahill.

But with 15 minutes left, Forster conceded his first goal in 708 minutes, Fabregas equalising after Costa had found him with a pass from the byline, moments after Soares appeared to be fouled midway inside the Saints half.

Energised, Chelsea went in search of a second. A brilliant Davis block denied Costa, but with two minutes remaining Ivanovic soared above Van Dijk and thumped a header past Forster.

A Courtois save denied sub Sadio Mane, on for Austin in the 78th minute, a late leveller.