Albion 1 Chelsea 3

Roy Hodgson's unbeaten start as Albion boss was ended as Chelsea claimed a comfortable victory.

The Baggies led through Peter Odemwingie's 12th goal of the season – a new club record scorer for the Premier League – to raise hopes of an eighth successive game without defeat.

But Chelsea took command and were ahead before the half-hour at the Hawthorns through Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou as Albion's defence and goalkeeper Scott Carson conceded two poor goals.

They added a third on the stroke of half-time as Frank Lampard netted for the defending Premier League champions.

The game had been evenly-matched until the 17th minute when the Baggies took the lead with an excellent move.

Youssouf Mulumbu skipped through the middle and fed James Morrison, whose neat flick found Jerome Thomas.

His pass took a deflection into the path of Odemwingie, who raced clear of the Chelsea backline before lifting a cool shot over advancing goalkeeper Petr Cech.

But it was level five minutes later courtesy of poor Baggies defending as Ashley Cole fed Flourent Malouda on the left and his cross eluded the hands of the diving Carson.

Nicky Shorey's heavy touch at the far post sat up perfectly for Drogba to blast home.

On 26 minutes it was 2-1 to the visitors when Albion were opened up too easily again.

This time Drogba advanced through the inside left channel and saw his shot only parried by Carson, whose defenders then stood and watched as Kalou reacted quickly to the rebound.

His cross-shot found the bottom corner, although Carson appeared to misjudge the direction of the shot and let it go.

Chelsea continued to pressurise and Carson had to make an excellent save to keep out a 25-yard Lampard free-kick that was moving viciously in the air.

But the champions extended their lead in the final minute of normal time in the first half with another simple goal.

Odemwingie gave away possession cheaply midway inside the Chelsea half, Drogba's simple pass down the line finding Malouda and his pull-back was perfect for Lampard to find the bottom corner.

Albion went close in stoppage time when Chris Brunt's right-wing corner found Jonas Olsson at the far post but his header was bundled off the line by Drogba.

The Blues continued to dominate early in the second half with Drogba sending a dipping shot onto the roof of the Baggies net in the opening moments.

James Morrison then went on a weaving run for the Baggies but his cross was cut out.

But just after the hour-mark it was almost 4-1 when Kalou cut in from the Chelsea left, his shot deflecting over Carson and rebounded off the crossbar.

Paul Scharner sent a difficult header over the bar from a Shorey cross before, with 20 minutes remaining, Brunt connected with a 25-yard rocket that deflected just wide.

Chelsea brought on £50million man Fernando Torres with eight minutes to go and he thought his goal drought was over when he slotted home from John Obi Mikel's pass, but he was denied by an offside flag.

In the closing stages, Brunt had a great chance to reduce the arrears but he headed straight at Cech from a cross by substitute Carlos Vela.