Ruthless Chelsea rout Bolton

Boudewijn Zenden (right) scored Chelsea's third goal

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Chelsea 5-1 Bolton

Chelsea maintained their title challenge with a convincing victory against Bolton at Stamford Bridge.

Clinical strikes from Eidur Gudjohnsen, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Boudewijn Zenden and Frank Lampard and a Colin Hendry own-goal put the Blues six points behind leaders Newcastle.

Bolton were tenacious and well-organised in the first half and took an early lead through Kevin Nolan.

  Goals

3 mins: Nolan puts Bolton ahead with a glancing header

41 mins: Gudjohnsen equalises with a sweet first-time shot

45 mins: Hasselbaink puts Chelsea ahead with a thumping left-foot effort

56 mins: Zenden extends the lead with a clever lob

76 mins: Bolton defender Hendry puts into his own net

87 mins: Lampard scores with a scorching 20-yard shot

But they were overwhelmed after the interval and have now won just one of their last seven games.

Chelsea made only one change from the side that had beaten Liverpool 4-0 last Sunday, with Zenden coming in for Celestine Babayaro and Graeme Le Saux dropping back to defence.

But they were hugely disappointing early on. They looked shaky at the back and were being out-fought in midfield, where Paul Warhurst was particularly impressive for the visitors.

Bolton took the lead after just three minutes. Per Frandsen curled in an inviting cross from the left and Nolan sent a glancing header into the far corner of the net from eight yards.

The first half was all Bolton and the second all us

Claudio Ranieri
Chelsea manager

Bolton, stifling their opponents with their fluid 4-3-3 formation, looked comfortable until their former player Gudjohnsen scored a breakaway goal in the 41st minute.

Hasselbaink picked up a long ball and sped forward, holding off Mike Whitlow before feeding Gudjohnsen, who scored with a first-time shot from the edge of the area.

Gudjohnsen then returned the favour to Hasselbaink on the stroke of half-time.

The Icelandic striker showed fantastic footwork to evade Frandsen before threading a pass through to his forward partner.

Hasselbaink took a touch before thumping the ball left-footed into the roof of the net from close range.

In the end 5-1 was a fair reflection of the game

Sam Allardyce
Bolton boss

It was tough on Bolton, but they could have few complaints about the second half, when they were overwhelmed.

Zenden added the third on 56 minutes when he broke in from the left and sent a delicious lob over the head of Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Colin Hendry, making a rare appearance in the Bolton first-team, then put into his own net from a Sam Dalla Bona cross.

Chelsea's Hasslebaink holds off Whitlow

Lampard added the gloss to a fine 45 minutes from Chelsea with his first Premiership goal for the Blues.

He picked up a pass from substitute Gianfranco Zola and struck a searing right-footed shot past Jaaskelainen.

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Chelsea: Cudicini, Le Saux (Ferrer 82), Gallas, Terry, Melchiot, Lampard, Stanic, Dalla Bona, Zenden (Petit 66), Gudjohnsen (Zola 80), Hasselbaink.

Subs Not Used: de Goey, Jokanovic.

Booked: Gudjohnsen, Terry.

Goals: Gudjohnsen 41, Hasselbaink 45, Zenden 56, Hendry 76 og, Lampard 87.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, N'Gotty, Whitlow, Hendry, Warhurst (Hansen 77), Charlton, Frandsen (Farrelly 58), Gardner, Johnson (Holdsworth 59), Nolan, Ricketts.

Subs Not Used: Poole, Diawara.

Booked: Johnson, Whitlow.

Goals: Nolan 3.

Att: 34,063

Ref: U Rennie (Sheffield).