The Blues took control of the game right from the off and rarely looked in danger of falling at the first hurdle in these title-deciding play-offs, although we did have to wait a while for our pressure to pay off with the first goal.

That arrived on the stroke of half-time, when Samuel Rak-Sakyi struck a composed finish into the bottom corner after being teed up by Genesis Antwi. Five minutes into the second half we had our second, Harrison Murray-Campbell netting with a fine header from Harrison McMahon's corner.

We never looked back from there, as Donnell McNeilly made it three from the penalty spot before Ryan Kavuma-McQueen tapped in fellow substitute Richard Olise's deflected low cross to put the icing on the cake late on.

On the front foot

It momentarily looked like we had carved out the game’s first scoring opportunity inside the first 10 minutes, when Kiano Dyer slid Genesis Antwi in down the right channel, but the linesman’s flag went straight up for a very tight call.

It was more than 15 minutes into the game before Wolves managed to exert any meaningful pressure, when a missed clearance resulted in a free-kick and then a corner, but they wasted both opportunities to trouble Chelsea.

Normal service was soon resumed, as we embarked on another long spell of possession in the opposition half, but it was difficult for the Blues to turn our dominance into a clear sight of goal.

Waiting for our chance

The closest we came in the first half-an-hour was when Shumaira Mheuka managed to evade his marker out on the left wing and drive into the box. Donnell McNeilly slid in to get to Mheuka’s low cross first, but the angle was against him and the striker couldn’t find the target.

There was then another tight offside call against Antwi, this time when he was released in behind by Harrison McMahon, but there was a feeling that right channel could provide an opening for Chelsea the first time the linesman didn’t come to Wolves’ rescue.

It was Brodi Hughes who went by far the closest to finding a goal during the first half. It came from good work by McNeilly, driving forward and infield before cutting a reverse pass in behind for Hughes, but the keeper was quick off his line and the defender’s attempt to lift a finish over him drifted high of the crossbar.

Two more chances arrived before the break as Chelsea increased the pressure, McNeilly forcing a save from the keeper at the near post following a weaving run, before an Ishe Samuels-Smith header bounced wide from a Hughes cross.

Breakthrough arrives

However, just as it looked like we would head in for half-time with the game goalless, Samuel Rak-Sakyi provided the breakthrough. A fine, patient team move ended with Harrison McMahon being released down the left and when his low cross made its way through to Antwi at the back post. The winger cut it back for Rak-Sakyi to place a composed first-time shot into the bottom-left corner, past the outstretched leg of a defender on the line.

We picked up where we’d left off after the break, and successive set-pieces gave us the chance to extend our advantage. Wolves had a lucky escape when Mheuka’s low drive from the first – a worked free-kick wide on the left – was deflected narrowly wide, but at the second Harrison Murray-Campbell rose highest at the near post to glance a header across the keeper and into the net from McMahon’s corner.

Going clear

We were looking for more, too, as Hughes lifted a low cross onto the roof of the net shortly after our second goal. We still had to be alert to Wolves’ threat, though, especially from crosses into the box. They probably should have pulled a goal back through one of those, but striker Dani Angel mistimed his leap for looked like a free header on the penalty spot.

Talking of the spot, Wolves were made to pay for that wasted chance when Chelsea scored our third goal from it two minutes later. Hughes spotted the opportunity to release McNeilly with a quickly taken throw-in and, as the striker charged into the box, he was shoved to the ground.

The referee blew his whistle and pointed to the spot. McNeilly brushed himself down and took the penalty himself, sending the keeper the wrong way and smashing it in to his left.

That third goal took most of the sting out of the game as Wolves saw their chances disappearing over the horizon. Chelsea were able to pass the ball around almost at will and the question began to be how many the Blues would win by, with Mheuka firing a powerful effort narrowly over the bar.

The visitors did regain some of their composure, forcing Ted Curd into a good save at his near post, but in reality there was little jeopardy to the game for Chelsea during the final 15 minutes as we saw the game out in relative comfort.

There was even time for the Blues to add a fourth goal late on. Two substitutes combined as Richard Olise showed good persistence to keep the attack going down the right and, when his cross-shot took a deflection, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen arrived unmarked to tap in from close range at the back post.

What is next

Chelsea will now face an away quarter-final in the Premier League 2 play-offs against the winner of Brighton & Hove Albion’s match with Crystal Palace, which takes place on Monday evening. Details for the Blues’ next knockout tie will be announced as soon as they are confirmed.

The teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Ted Curd; Brodi Hughes, Harrison Murray-Campbell, Landon Emenalo, Ishe Samuels-Smith; Harrison McMahon (c), Samuel Rak-Sakyi; Genesis Antwi (Richard Olise 68), Kiano Dyer, Shumaira Mheuka (Ronnie Stutter 73); Donnell McNeilly (Ryan Kavuma-McQueen 78)
Unused subs: Jack Austin, Ato Ampah
Scorers: Rak-Sakyi 44, Murray-Campbell 50, McNeilly pen 64, Kavuma-McQueen 86
Booked: Hughes 89

Wolverhampton Wanderers (5-4-1): Josh Gracey, Myles Dayman, Justin Hubner, Caden Voice, Bastien Meupiyou (Matthew Whittingham 88), Wes Okoduwa, Leo Lopes (Filozofe Mabete 88), Luke Rawlings, Dani Angel (Mateus Mane 62), Makenzie Bradbury, Tom Edozie (Fabian Reynolds 62)
Unused sub: Aaron Keto-Diyawa
Booked: Voice 65