Jimmy Treble Tames Brave Wolves  (Sky Sports)

Chelsea 5 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2

A brilliant 11-minute Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink hat-trick kept Chelsea's title hopes alive as they came from behind to beat Wolves 5-2 at Stamford Bridge.

Wolves threatened a major shock after goals from Henri Camara and Jody Craddock cancelled out Mario Melchiot's early opener, but Hasselbaink came off the bench to save Chelsea's blushes with a brilliant treble and mark his birthday in style.

Chelsea got off to a dream start opening the scoring after just four minutes through Melchiot with the first noteworthy attack of the game.

Melchiot started the move with a pass to Lampard, who in turn laid it to Cole and he picked out the Melchiot inside the box and the defender kept his cool to smash the ball past Paul Jones.

Chelsea were looking in dominant mood and Hernan Crespo tried his luck with an ambitious volley wide on the right from Lampard's cross which flew just wide of the target.

Wolves were slowly getting themselves in the contest and they were gifted the equaliser on 23 minutes after a terrible mix-up in the Chelsea defence.

Marco Ambrosio threw the ball to left-back Babayaro and he left his pass to John Terry short allowing Henri Camara to rob the England international and slot the ball through the legs of Ambrosio for his first goal since October.

Wolves then missed a great chance to take the lead just three minutes later when Camara broke down the right and crossed for Mark Kennedy unmarked inside the box, but he dragged his shot just wide of the post.

Chelsea tried to hit back on 29 minutes when Eidur Gudjohnsen got away from the Wolves defence from Lampard's fine long-range pass, but Jones did well to keep out the striker's shot with his legs.

The home side almost gave Wolves another goal on 35 minutes when Cole needlessly gave the ball away to Kenny Miller inside his own half and the Scottish striker beat Melchiot inside the box, but screwed his left-footed shot horribly wide.

Claudio Ranieri brought on Damien Duff for the start of the second half and the Irishman created a great chance for Crespo three minutes after the break with a fine cross from the left, but the Argentine ace got his header all wrong and fired his over the crossbar.

Crespo almost created a goal on 55 minutes when he beat Craddock down the right and sent over an inviting cross right across the face of the goal towards Duff, but Mark Clyde was in the right place at the right time to clear the danger.

Wolves stunned the home side when they took the lead on 57 minutes when Craddock rose above an uncertain Ambrosio to head Kennedy's corner into the net.

Paul Ince went close to grabbing a third for Wolves just past the hour with a blistering shot from fully 30 yards out which Ambrosio was at full-stretch to keep out.

Chelsea drew level on 70 minutes with a superb long-range strike from Lampard as he celebrated his 100th consecutive Premiership appearance in style.

Lampard began the move with a pass out wide to Duff and he in turn cut the ball back for the England midfielder to drill an unstoppable shot from 30 yards out past Jones.

The goal saw Chelsea lay siege to the Wolves goal and then got their reward on 79 minutes when Hasselbaink brilliantly turned Craddock and smashed his shot into the roof of the net from the edge of the area for his 100th Premiership goal.

Hasselbaink notched his second goal three minutes from time running onto Duff's clever through ball to coolly slot home.

The Dutch star piled the misery on Wolves and completed his hat-trick in the stoppage time with a simple finish after being put clear by Lampard.

Teams

Chelsea  Ambrosio, Babayaro, Gallas, Melchiot, Terry, Cole (Parker 80), Geremi (Hasselbaink 60), Lampard, Makelele, Crespo, Gudjohnsen (Duff 45)
Subs Not Used  Sullivan, Huth
Booked 
Goals  Melchiot 4, Lampard 70, Hasselbaink 77, 87, 90

Wolverhampton Wanderers   Jones, Butler, Clyde, Craddock, Naylor, Camara, Ince, Kennedy (Newton 73), Rae (Cort 84) Miller (Cameron 84)
Subs Not Used  Oakes, Irwin
Booked  Ganea, Rae
Goals  Camara 23, Craddock 57

Attendance  41,215

Referee  Graham. Barber (Hertfordshire)