It was the home side who started the game the stronger and Chelsea had rookie goalkeeper Marco Ambrosio to thank for pulling off a string of fine saves but despite the first half pressure Wanderers could not improve on their goals tally.
On 11 minutes Bolton should have taken the lead when a long punt upfield by Finnish goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen found striker Kevin Davies who in turn flicked the ball on to the recalled Stelios Giannakopoulos and it was a slight flick by the Greek international into the path of Danish striker Henrik Pedersen which was to set up the first clear cut chance of the game, however with Ambrosio beaten Pedersen agonsingly saw his shot cannon back off the post and across the goalmouth.
Wanderers captain Jay-Jay Okocha then had three long range efforts which the Italian keeper Ambrosio had to monitor with caution. Firstly the Blues keeper tips the Nigerian international's drive away for the corner and then he saves the goalbound shot with his chest. Then to complete a hat trick of close calls the former Cheivo goalkeeper watches the influential playmaker sail a free kick over his crossbar. Okocha on another day could have had a hat trick with this first half showing but it wasn't to be. Chelsea needed to improve dramatically for the second half if they where to get anything from the game. A mishit shot from the ineffective £17 million striker Hernan Crespo was the nearest the Londoners came to breaking the deadlock for the Londoners in the first period whilst at the other end a chip by Wanderers striker Kevin Davies from a good 30-yards had Ambrosio scrambling back to his goal.
In the second half Claudio Ranieri's side did indeed up the tempo, England midfielder Frank Lampard who had a quiet first half was quick to test Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal when on 50 minutes his 25-yard effort into the top right hand corner was tipped away by the Finn.
Geremi and Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink then had half chances for the Londoners to break the deadlock as the Blues pushed forward with more enthuisiasm than in the first half. Ivan Campo and Henrik Pedersen had similar chances for the home team but where again unable to convert the pressure into goals.
Former West Ham midfielder Joe Cole then came on the field in place of the lacklustre Crespo in a bid to spice things up for the Londoners and the England midfielder was roundly jeered by Wanderers supporters who remembered him from his exploits with the Hammers last season.
With just over 20 minutes remaining defender John Terry, who had a good game for the Blues stole in at the back post to volley home a flick on by Hasselbaink following a right wing cross by former Blackburn Rovers player Damien Duff who along with fellow winger Jesper Gronkjaer was causing the Trotters all kinds of problems.
A couple of minutes later in the 73rd minute Duff himself was on the scoresheet when he was able to steer the ball past Jaaskelainen unchallenged as Hasselbaink broke clear on the counter attack after Bolton gave the ball away in midfield.
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce then substituted man of the match Stelios Giannakopoulos much to the discontent of the Bolton crowd who felt that the Greek was one of the club's star performers on the day. Ibrahim Ba replaced the former Olympiakos player but was unable to recreate a performance similar to the one he gave in the Wanderers last win at Charlton just over a month ago.
With a few minutes remaining Simon Charlton saved Bolton blushes when he cleared off the line from substitute Cole who was looking to gain the last laugh over the Wanderers supporters who had taunted him since his arrival onto the field of play.
Mr Graham Poll then blew for full time having added on three minutes overtime to the ninety played to extend Wanderers losing streak to five matches, however they can look back on this performance with a sense of pride having contained one of the Premiership's "big three" for a good hour or more. Many could claim Stelios and Davies could have had penalties against Desailly in the first half but it wasnt meant to be. Arsenal next week and Newcastle in a fortnight, the fight goes on to remain in Premiership consolidarity.