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Chelsea won only their second Premier League game in 10 as second-half set-pieces helped them to a 2-0 victory at home to Blackburn Rovers.

Florent Malouda was the architect with his pin-point corners, the first resulting in a goal for Branislav Ivanovic and the second helping Nicolas Anelka break a nine-game goalless streak that ran concurrently with Chelsea’s slump.

The victory moves Chelsea into the top four, although Tottenham Hotspur would leapfrog them if they beat leaders Manchester United on Sunday.

Chelsea’s worst run of league form for a decade saw them lose to Wolves last time out, but they were coming off the back of a 7-0 Cup win over Ipswich so - for the most part - were the controlling force.

Still, in the first half it was not saying much, Ramires’s rising drive off the bar on two minutes the only action of note as Rovers parked the bus in front of their goal for the first half hour.

Afterwards it opened up a touch as, with Rovers midfielder David Dunn off injured, the hosts were able to find more killer passes in midfield.

Didier Drogba was denied a free run at goal by a wonderful Gael Givet tackle, Anelka fired just wide after cutting in from the right flank and Frank Lampard headed over after Jose Bosingwa’s excellent cross capped off a slick passing move.

For their part Rovers - who had left under-fire forward El-Hadji Diouf as an unused substitute - managed one effort that truly tested Petr Cech when the Chelsea defence inexplicably parted for David Hoilett, whose low drive was well-saved by the Czech goalkeeper.

The best chance fell three minutes before the break and it fell to Chelsea as Anelka, meeting a low Bosingwa cross on the run, flicked an inventive finish over Paul Robinson but off the angle of post and bar.

Chelsea continued to apply the pressure in the second half, Anelka again shooting just wide, this time beyond the far post from a tight angle on the right.

Rovers occasionally threatened, with Mame Biram Diouf off target after Ryan Nelsen and Ivanovic collided at a corner, but the hosts took a deserved if unstylish lead just before the hour mark.

Malouda’s left-wing corner was flicked on by John Terry and Morten Gamst Pedersen’s failed attempt to clear allowed Ivanovic to pick the ball up on the right: with Nelsen, Michel Salgado and Robinson in his way, the Serbia defender squeezed out a low finish that trickled past the defenders and in off the keeper’s hand.

Despite the presence of new re-signing Roque Santa Cruz, Rovers were barely able to cross halfway as Chelsea went close through Anelka, Terry and Lampard.

Santa Cruz, on as a half-time sub for Nikola Kalinic, looked well short of match-sharpness and barely got a touch as Blackburn struggled to leave their own half.

Any nerves Chelsea were softened with a quarter of an hour left as, after Robinson spared Chris Samba’s blushes following a dreadful backpass into Drogba’s path, the corner that followed was met by a powerful Ivanovic header that Anelka flicked over the line.

Blackburn had all-but given up the ghost as Chelsea went through the motions, tentatively seeking a third but content with the win.

Premier League leaders Chelsea came from behind to beat Blackburn 2-1 in a pulsating encounter at Ewood Park, Branislav Ivanovic's late header the difference between the sides.

Benjani headed Rovers in front in the 21st minute to stun the visitors but six minutes before the break Carlo Ancelotti's side were back level thanks to Nicolas Anelka's close-range finish.

Both sides traded chances in a second half full of energy and endeavour, but it was Chelsea who were the more clinical as a galling miss from substitute Jason Roberts was immediately followed by a fine finish from Ivanovic six minutes from time.

A minute's silence was impeccably observed in remembrance of former England and Blackburn Rovers captain Ronnie Clayton, who died earlier this week at the age of 76, and a vociferous atmosphere followed it at kick-off.

Rovers boss Sam Allardyce welcomed back Christopher Samba and Ryan Nelsen in defence, while Alex returned for the visitors after missing the win over Wolves with a thigh strain and Ivanovic was preferred to Jose Bosingwa at right-back.

Chelsea began the game the brighter, and the visitors could have been in front inside seven minutes had an unmarked Didier Drogba not mistimed his leap after a sublime delivery was whipped over by Ivanovic from out on the right.

Two minutes later Blackburn had a golden opportunity to net the opener: Brett Emerton raced clear beyond Alex, but the Australian lacked conviction and dallied on the ball to allow the defender to make a timely intervention.

Petr Cech then came into his own with two stunning saves in as many minutes. The first of them spared the goalkeeper's blushes after he slipped before managing to tip Mame Diouf's tantalising effort wide. The 28-year-old followed that with a fine reflex block to deny Benjani after the forward had hurtled through on goal.

Chelsea had gone 301 minutes without conceding a Premier League goal when they failed to clear a corner and El-Hadji Diouf dinked a delightful delivery back into the box for Benjani to rise and beat Cech with a precise header.

Gael Givet sustained an ankle injury following a clash with Drogba midway through the first half, and his replacement Martin Olsson was partly culpable for Chelsea's equaliser in the 39th minute. The visitors produced a sweeping move as a long ball from Cech was taken down by Malouda, whose raking diagonal pass was headed into the path of Anelka by Drogba - and the Frenchman duly finished with aplomb from 12 yards.

The injured Benjani was replaced by Roberts at the break. A very scrappy opening to the second half followed as both sides failed to settle into their rhythm.

Fabio Capello sat alongside Blackburn chairman John Williams for the second half, and the England boss would have been more impressed with Phil Jones's robust challenges in midfield than the fluidity of either side's play.

But Chelsea sprung into action on the hour mark as Michael Essien found Yuri Zhirkov, who hurtled into the Blackburn box from the left and fired a low, fizzing shot towards the near corner of the net only for Paul Robinson to parry the ball wide superbly.

Two minutes later Mame Diouf inexplicably failed to turn the ball into the net at the back post as the midfielder latched on to Morten Gamst Pedersen's exquisite delivery from the left - deflecting the ball wide with Cech stranded.

Ancelotti introduced Daniel Sturridge at the expense of Malouda late on, but it was at the other end that the best chance fell late on: Mame Diouf picked out Roberts with an unerring delivery, but somehow the forward fired wide with just Cech to beat.

Chelsea made Roberts and Blackburn pay for such profligacy as Ivanovic ghosted in at the back post to head past Robinson from Zhirkov's dinked delivery out on the left, and the finish was clinical.

The three points see Ancelotti's side assume a five-point cushion at the top of the Premier League table, as Arsenal moved second with a win while Manchester City lost to Wolves.