Premier League: Wolves 1 Chelsea 0

Wolves defied the odds once again to lift themselves off the bottom of the Premier League with a shock 1-0 win over Chelsea at Molineux.

Jose Bosingwa’s early own goal sent Chelsea’s season spiralling into crisis and heaped further pressure onto manager Carlo Ancelotti.

On a night when too many of Chelsea’s stars failed to shine, the reigning champions never looked likely to claim the win their boss had publicly promised before kick-off.

Ancelotti’s side find themselves nine points off the top spot and struggling to keep pace with leaders Manchester United.

With Kevin Doyle and Stephen Fletcher back for the hosts, two unlikely heroes contributed to Wolves taking a fifth-minute lead.

Ronald Zubar cast aside his own-goal misfortune from the New Year’s Day defeat at West Ham to try a thunderous 35-yard drive that forced a full-stretch save from Petr Cech.

And from Stephen Hunt’s in-swinging corner, George Elokobi’s attempted near post flick did enough to distract the Chelsea backline as the ball flew in off Bosingwa’s shin.

Without ever dominating, Mick McCarthy’s men played with composed confidence throughout while Chelsea offered precious little menace in the opening half.

The visitors went closest to levelling matters when Wayne Hennessey threw out a foot to block Salomon Kalou’s 28th-minute goal-bound effort.

John Terry blazed over before escaping a caution after an off-the-ball push on Hunt before Kalou latched onto Frank Lampard’s neat back heel only to drag his shot past Hennessey’s far post.

Florent Malouda planted a free header straight at the Wolves goalkeeper just after the interval, and Ancelotti must have feared the worse as Didier Drogba struck the outside of the post.

Wolves were not a spent force either and went close again as Hunt clipped the bar with a 70th-minute free kick before Malouda and Michael Essien both fired wide from inside the box.

But Wolves, thanks to Hennessey’s courageous block on Nicolas Anelka’s effort in injury time, hung on for three precious points.