Blues thump Trotters

01 November 2009 02:26
Chelsea maintained their firm grip on the Premier League top spot with a 4-0 win against ten-man Bolton at the Reebok. [LNB] The Blues dominated much of the play and went ahead in first-half injury time through a Frank Lampard penalty, Jlloyd Samuel being sent off for his trip on Didier Drogba. [LNB] Chelsea broke from defence after 61 minutes for former Bolton striker Nicolas Anelka to set up Deco for the second, with the third going in off a combination of Branislav Ivanovic and Wanderers defender Zat Knight before Drogba claimed the fourth.[LNB] Drogba headed just over from a Anelka cross, then Jussi Jaaskelainen touched over another effort from the big striker before saving from Anelka. [LNB] Michael Essien flashed an angled effort just wide, before Drogba got clear and was only halted by Jaaskelainen's outstretched boot. [LNB] The visitors had a 30th-minute Ivanovic strike ruled out by a linesman's flag - Michael Ballack was adjudged to be offside. Chelsea players complained bitterly, but referee Peter Walton was unmoved. [LNB] Bolton were soon back under pressure - and in the final seconds of injury-time, Chelsea were ahead, after Drogba had been brought down. Lampard lashed home the penalty. [LNB] Jaaskelainen made fine saves twice at the feat of Drogba and Lampard hit the bar from 18 yards, before , Deco doubled the lead in the 61st minute, receiving the ball from Anelka, sidestepping Paul Robinson's lunging tackle, then clipping the ball into the net. [LNB] Paulo Ferreira was booked late on, but Chelsea were in full control and it was 3-0 when Knight - under pressure from Ivanovic - got the final touch to Ricardo Carvalho's cross. [LNB] The home side, to their credit, kept looking for a goal but Chelsea got their fourth in injury-time when Anelka's cross was flicked on by Lampard for Drogba to fire home.

Source: Eurosport