Premier League: Wolves 1 Chelsea 2

Chelsea have immediately bounced back from defeat with a 2-1 victory on Monday against Wolves at Molineux.

The London club had sunk to their fifth loss of the season after suffering a shock defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday, but they claimed three points at Wolves after goals from Ramires and Frank Lampard.

Stephen Ward netted for the hosts to briefly pull them level, but it was Chelsea who ended the match as winners.

Chelsea should taken the lead in the eighth minute through Juan Mata after he was put through by Fernando Torres, but the former Valencia man could not get decent contact on the ball and the chance was spurned.

Andre Villas-Boas’ side were looking confident going forward and began to click into gear, with Lampard and Torres playing a lovely one-two to put the England man through on goal on 12 minutes.

Lampard was only denied the match’s opener by excellent defensive work from Christophe Berra and Richard Stearman.

Chelsea again threatened the Wolves goal moments later, when Ramires was released by Mata down the right.

The Brazil international beat his man before firing a powerful effort at goal, which crept just wide of the post.

Despite Chelsea’s dominance, however, it was Wolves that came closest to breaking the deadlock, when Roger Johnson headed Adam Hammill’s pin-point free-kick against the post with Petr Cech beaten on 32 minutes.

The hosts should have taken the lead seconds later when Hammill lifted the ball into the area and Stephen Ward this time rose unmarked in the six-yard box, but he could only head his effort wide of Cech’s goal.

Chelsea looked to be taken aback by Wolves’ near misses, but got back into their passing game before the end of the half.

Lampard and Jose Bosingwa tested the handling ability of Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey with powerful efforts, to which the Welshman was equal.

Wolves had an excellent opportunity to open the scoring at the start of the second half, but Hammill’s volley from substitute Matt Jarvis’ cross was brilliantly blocked by John Terry as the ball looked to heading for the net.

Chelsea immediately responded to the threat by taking the lead in the 54th minute through Ramires, after he blasted a right-footed shot into the top corner when the home side failed to clear a Mata corner.

Chelsea took the pace out of the game after getting their goal to frustrate Wolves and the crowd inside Molineux, with controlled passing stopping Mick McCarthy’s side from building any attacking momentum.

Torres has not scored since the September 24 and showed why when he blasted a volley way over Hennessey’s bar, having been well placed inside the box after latching onto Ramires’ cross.

Wolves then nearly got back into the game through Dave Edwards, who got behind Chelsea’s defence and latched onto Karl Henry’s ball over the top.

But he could not loop his header over Cech, who made a comfortable save.

Chelsea tried to get a second goal to give them breathing space but failed to break through a stubborn Wolves rearguard action.

Ward then volleyed in an equaliser from close range, beating Cech after latching onto a knockdown from sub Steven Fletcher on 84 minutes.

But Chelsea recovered almost immediately and regained the lead through Lampard on 89 minutes.

He tapped in from six yards, coverting Ashley Cole’s cross and good link-up play between the left-back and Torres.

Doyle nearly grabbed a late point for the home side in the dying seconds, but was denied by an excellent save from Cech to give the visitors a much-needed win.