Wolves 1-2 Chelsea: Frank Lampard winner caps dramatic finale to give Andre Villas-Boas first victory in five games

The Blues should taken the lead in the eighth minute through Mata when he was put through by Torres but the former Valencia man could not get decent contact on the ball and the chance was spurned.  

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Andre Villas-Boas’ side were looking confident going forward and began to click into gear as Lampard and Torres played a lovely one-two to put the England man through on goal only for him to be denied by excellent defensive work from Christophe Berra and Richard Stearman.

Again the Blues 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 it was Wolves that came closest to breaking the deadlock when Roger Johnson headed Adam Hammill’s pinpoint free kick against the post with Petr Cech beaten, as the defender rose unmarked at the back-post.

The home side should have taken the lead seconds later when Hammill lifted the ball into the area and this time Ward 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 the home side's near misses but got back into their passing game before the end of the half as Lampard and Jose Bosingwa tested the handling ability of Wayne Hennessey with powerful efforts which the Welshman was equal to.

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 responded to this threat straight away by taking the lead in the 54th minute through Ramires as blasted a right-footed shot into the top corner following the home side’s failure to clear a Mata corner.

The Blues took the pace out of the game after getting their goal to frustrate the hosts and the crowd inside Molineux with controlled passing to preserve their lead and stop Mick McCarthy’s side from building any attacking momentum.

The home side nearly got back into the game through Edwards who got behind the Chelsea defence and latched onto Henry’s ball over the top but couldn’t loop his header over Cech who made a comfortable save.

Chelsea tried to get a second goal to give them a cushion but couldn’t break through a stubborn Wolves rearguard action.

The visitors were to pay when Ward volleyed in an equaliser from close range beating Cech after latching onto sub Steven Fletcher’s knockdown from Hammill’s cross into the area to the fury of Villas-Boas on the sidelines.

However, Chelsea picked themselves up straight away and regained the lead through Lampard who tapped in from six-yards converting 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 by Cech to give the visitors a much needed win and to save Villas-Boas’ blushes.