Bolton 1 Chelsea 5:Frank Lampard underlined his importance to Chelsea with a hat-trick at the Reebok Stadium as the Blues closed the gap at the top of the Barclays Premier League on an afternoon to forget for Bolton goalkeeper Adam Bogdan.

With the hosts cutting through their opponents’ defence at will, Lampard and Daniel Sturridge — scorer of eight goals in 12 games during a loan spell with Wanderers last season — both netted twice in the first half, two errors in quick succession by Bogdan allowing each player their second.

Dedryck Boyata scored his first Bolton soon after the restart, but it counted for little as Lampard dispatched his third of the day in the 59th minute.