The visitors could have gone six points clear with a win but the Hammers took a shock lead through Alessandro Diamanti's penalty.

Frank Lampard salvaged a draw for Chelsea with a penalty taken three times, but Parker admitted even a point was more than the Hammers expected.

"It was do or die for us," he told Sky Sports 1. "And we've gone out there and gave our all against a very good Chelsea side.

"We've been lacking a little bit of fight, passion and a bit of the gritty stuff of late but today we did that.

"It's a massive result for us although obviously we would have loved to get the three points

"But it's a big lift and we were not expecting it. We've done really well and we can now push on."

Lampard was relieved to score all three penalty attempts after referee Mike Dean ordered two re-takes due to encroachment.

He said: "I didn't need that at all, especially after missing one the other week.

"That feeling when it hits the back of the net is nice but when you get told to retake it you wonder if something bad is going to happen.

"And when it happened again I didn't know what to think so I was pleased to see the last one hit the back of the net."

Speaking about the game, Lampard added: "We didn't turn up for the first half and that's the poorest we've played all season. They wanted it more than us

"But we came out in the second half with a different attitude. It was a fair result."

Parker was critical of the penalty decision with Matthew Upson looking to have won the ball as he challenged Daniel Sturridge.

"I don't think it should have been one," he added. "It's a harsh penalty. But the linesman thought it was one. That's how it goes."

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola was also disappointed with the linesman's decision but was full of praise for his players.

Zola had called for a reaction following three successive defeats and was pleased to see just that.

"Their attitude today was magnificent and that's why we got a result," he told Sky Sports 1.

"The referee saw it (the penalty incident) right in the first place because he didn't give anything and he was very close to it.

"So I'm disappointed he trusted the linesman's view. He was closer and should have kept his first decision.

"But after the penalty if there was a team that looked like they were going to score it was us.

"Trust me it was a big performance for us today. They really showed a lot of character."

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti admitted his players only started performing after the interval.

And has blamed the busy festive period for his team's poor first-half display.

He said: "We started only in the last 45 minutes. Before we played without intensity and slow. We didn't move the ball quickly in midfield.

"We're not in the best moment but every team has problems in this period.

"There are a lot of matches, every three days, and it's not easy to maintain concentration, to maintain strength every three days."