Malouda 41

                                                                                                                                                    Anelka 56

                                                                                                                                                    Ramires 74           

Chelsea took full advantage of a lacklustre, error-strewn performance by Bolton to give their faltering season the tremendous confidence boost of their first EPL away win since October.

Chelsea have a fine record at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium. Their more assured display was inspired by one of the goals of the season from Didier Drogba.

He gave the Blues an 11^th-minute when he thundered a swerving, dipping, 35-yard shot past helpless Trotters keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen’s right hand.

Bolton briefly threatened an equaliser and Chelsea keeper Petr Cech had to be at his best to save Matthew Taylor’s powerful downward header from Martin Petrov’s cross on the half-hour mark.

But the game was effectively finished as a contest on 41 minutes when Florent Malouda beat Jaaskelainen at the keeper’s near-post with a low shot from the right corner of the six-yard box after his attempted cross rebounded straight back to him.

Nicolas Anelka made it a goal for each of Chelsea’s front three, on 56 minutes, firing home left-footed from 12 yards after a half-cleared Michael Essien cross from the left.

And Brazilian midfielder Ramires scored his first-ever Chelsea goal with a well-placed left-foot shot from 15 yards after Anelka’s shot was blocked.