Never mind thrashing Manchester United and Liverpool, Chelsea passed the real test of their progress under Claudio Ranieri against Bolton as they underlined their growing top-three pretensions.

After three goals against United and four against Liverpool, the five scored against Bolton indicated that the Blues are finally starting to discover the elusive quality of consistency.

Despite having trailed to Kevin Nolan's second-minute strike as they struggled to find any early rhythm, they did not capitulate thereafter like the Chelsea of old.

Instead, inspired by Eidur Gudjohnsen against his former club, Chelsea displayed the spirited ability to fashion out an impressive victory.

After the Icelandic international had shown just how much he has progressed since leaving Bolton with his 10th goal of the season, he set up Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink on the stroke of half-time.

And with Boudwijn Zenden also finding the target with a cultured lob while Colin Hendry put through his own net as Gudjohnsen threatened and Frank Lampard rounded off the scoring, Chelsea were home and dry.

Having beaten United away, they had promptly lost at home to Charlton. But having defeated Liverpool, they have now - crucially, given their inconsistency of recent seasons - beaten Bolton as well.

Sam Allardyce's side, who were missing the injured Gudni Bergsson, could feel slightly hard done by after dominating early on.

However, they were outplayed in the second-half and have never really recovered from fielding a below-strength side at Tottenham in the Worthington Cup and being thrashed.

Despite having similarly beaten Liverpool and United, their superb early form has rather deserted them of late - even if they seized the lead after just two minutes at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea keeper Carlo Cudicini had already denied the visitors once when Kevin Nolan lost his marker, John Terry, to convert Per Frandsen's cross.

Typical Chelsea. Or so it seemed.

Only a handball spotted by referee Uriah Rennie in the build-up ensured that Nolan's second finish was ruled out on 20 minutes and even Cudicini was now making uncharacteristic errors.

Coach Claudio Ranieri was a picture of exasperation on the touchline, regularly holding his head in frustration as move after move became shipwrecked on Bolton's defensive rocks.

When his side did regain possession, they were too often harried into hopeful forward balls that were easily dealt with by an assured Bolton side.

The irony, however, is that it was exactly by that route that Chelsea turned the game on its head in the five-minute spell just before the break.

First Zenden, on his recall to the side, sprayed a superb long ball to Hasselbaink and Dutchman who did well to buy time before playing into the path of the onrushing Gudjohnsen.

The Icelandic international made no mistake, slotting his first-time shot just inside the post from the edge of the penalty area, and the tide had turned.

Cudicini still needed to deny Gardner but then Gudjohnsen turned provider for Hasselbaink in the second minute of added time after Sam dalla Bona had transformed defence into attack with one raking pass.

Bolton were stung into a brief rally after the interval, with Jermaine Johnson curling an effort just the wrong side of the upright, but before long Chelsea had extended their lead.

Zenden was struggling to retain control of the ball as he advanced towards goal but after a fortunate deflection had enabled him to keep going, he still produced an inspired lobbed finish.

Bolton responded with a double substitution but, by now, the initiative was firmly with Chelsea and the return of Emmanuel Petit from injury as a replacement for Zenden steadied the ship.

Cudicini still needed to dive smartly to his left to tip substitute Dean Holdsworth's header around the post but Chelsea were soon out of sight.

Hasselbaink sent dalla Bona clear down the right flank and his cross was turned into his own net by Hendry as Gudjohnsen lurked behind him.

Hasselbaink spurned a glorious opening, while Jaaskelainen rushed out to deny Gudjohnsen but Lampard rounded off the match as he scored his first Premiership goal of the season and celebrated with immense relief.

Having beaten Leeds, Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle and now Bolton in the past month, the home defeat by Charlton now looks very much the exception rather than the rule.

Teams:

Chelsea (2) 5 Bolton (1) 1

Chelsea: Cudicini, Le Saux (Ferrer 82), Gallas, Terry, Melchiot, Lampard, Stanic, Dalla Bona, Zenden (Petit 66), Gudjohnsen (Zola 80), Hasselbaink.

Subs Not Used: de Goey, Jokanovic.

Booked: Gudjohnsen, Terry.

Goals: Gudjohnsen 41, Hasselbaink 45, Zenden 56, Hendry 76 og, Lampard 87.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, N'Gotty, Whitlow, Hendry, Warhurst (Hansen 77), Charlton, Frandsen (Farrelly 58), Gardner, Johnson (Holdsworth 59), Nolan, Ricketts.

Subs Not Used: Poole, Diawara.

Booked: Johnson, Whitlow.

Goals: Nolan 3.

Att: 34,063

Ref: U Rennie (Sheffield).