Chelsea stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points with a workmanlike victory over relegation-threatened Wolves, who created most of the chances but were undone by two goals from Didier Drogba, taking his total for the season to 25.

For the Premier pace-setters, it was only their second win in the last seven away games in the league, and they would have dropped valuable points yet again but for a couple of top-notch saves by Peter Cech.

Chelsea’s motivation had been enhanced by news of Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat against Everton at lunchtime. The league leaders had their captain, John Terry, back after “compassionate leave”, but were without another mainstay, Frank Lampard, laid low by a virus. His absence brought a rare start for Joe Cole, who looked rustier than my old Mini’s sub-frame.

A mediocre first half left the home crowd with little to shout about, so they resorted to booing Terry and taunting him with tedious choruses speculating on what he might do to Cheryl and Ashley Cole – not to mention Tiger Woods.

For nearly 40 minutes the few chances that were created came from Wolves, whose leading scorer, Kevin Doyle, demanded saves from Cech – first from the edge of the D and again at close range. Terry’s thoughts appeared to have strayed on both occasions.

Against the run of play, Chelsea took the lead before half-time when Yuri Zhirkov and Michael Ballack played a one-two in the inside-left channel before the Russian squared the ball across the face of the goal for Drogba to slide in and score at the far post.

Wolves would had restored parity after 56 minutes but for the reaction save with which Cech repelled a meaty close-range volley from Adlène Guedioura, and the goalkeeper sprang to his team’s rescue again eight minutes later, when Terry attempted to boot the ball clear and missed it completely, letting in Kevin Foley for a shot which brought the best out of the Czech keeper. The loose ball ran to Guedioura, whose feeble follow up was cleared off the line by Terry, red-faced but relieved.

Reprieved, Chelsea made the game safe midway through the second half, when Cech turned playmaker, his long clearance carrying over Christophe Berra, enabling Drogba to run on and score left-footed.

Wolverhampton WanderersChelseaPremier LeagueJoe Lovejoyguardian.co.uk