CHELSEA failed to hit the heights of last week's 6-0 thrashing of Manchester City against strugglers Wigan, but two fine first-half goals were enough to put them back in the Premier League hunt. Rivals Manchester United and Arsenal drew earlier in the day, ensuring Chelsea's two Shaun Wright-Phillips inspired goals were enough to see them cut the gap at the top. WrightPhillips, making the most of a surplus of possession in the opening 45 minutes, handed Frank Lampard the opener on a plate before an athletic leap gave Juliano Belletti the chance to score his first goal for the club in fine style.

On paper the match was scarcely a contest, with Chelsea hitting 10 goals in their last two outings and Wigan reeling on the back of five straight defeats. Home boss Chris Hutchings attempted to saturate the midfield with five men, including the industrious Michael Brown, while Chelsea looked to wingers Wright-Phillips and Florent Malouda for spark.

There was a fanciful appeal for a Wigan penalty when Marcus Bent hit the ground after seven minutes and Denny Landzaat forced a first save out of Cech soon after.

But the lead was Chelsea's in the 11th minute when some quick feet from WrightPhillips took him past challenges from Landzaat and Kevin Kilbane. His measured ball found Lampard in the area and he swept home with aplomb to follow up his hattrick against Leicester.

Wright-Phillips was involved in the second, leaping acrobatically to keep the ball from going out, although there was a suspicion the ball may have crossed the line. But it was Belletti who produced the magic, running 60 yards into Wigan territory before taking advantage of some reticent defending to rifle past Chris Kirkland from 20 yards.

Wigan's gameplan looked increasingly misguided as the half progressed, with Bent isolated in attack and the fiveman midfield struggling to shackle their opponents. Malouda missed a decent chance to make it three when he completely mis-hit Belletti's curling cross from six yards.

Sloppy defending in the second minute after the restart handed Koumas possession 20 yards from the Chelsea goal but, by the time the Welshman found Landzaat in the penalty box, the Blues had recovered. Koumas did better with his next pass moments later, releasing Bent with his first touch. There was another huge appeal for a penalty when the striker went down with Ricardo Carvalho in attendance but it looked neither a foul nor inside the area.

There was more good linkup play between Lampard and Wright-Phillips shortly after the hour mark, with plenty to encourage under-fire England boss Steve McClaren from both men. Drogba, whose future at the club has been under almost constant scrutiny since Jose Mourinho left, was becoming ill-disciplined, conceding fouls on a number of occasions as Chelsea's rhythm dipped. Indeed, it took a deft piece of tracking back from Wright-Phillips to quell a dangerous Wigan break as Landzaat erred on the ball.

But with half-chances going, so was Wigan's chance of a comeback and Chelsea remained largely comfortable.