Summary
Chelsea are safely through to the fifth round of
the FA Cup after a resounding win against our west London neighbours.
It was a long time coming, taking until Juan
Mata's 54th minute strike from outside the area to put us ahead for the first
time in 140 minutes against our League One opposition, but as soon as the
Spaniard had struck Chelsea looked well in control.
In the first half we had dominated, with Oscar
hitting a post and Frank Lampard volleying wide, but both would be heavily
involved in a fruitful second period, as the Brazilian flicked home to double
the lead with just over 20 minutes to go, and then Lampard struck Chelsea goal
199 of his career to put the game firmly beyond the Bees. John Terry, back in
the side from the start, headed a late fourth to put the gloss on a pleasing
afternoon at the Bridge.
Chelsea v Brentford
We can now look forward to visiting Middlesbrough
in the fifth round, but first, there is Sparta Prague and the Europa League to
contend with on Thursday.
Team news
Terry was recalled for some match action Rafael
Benitez said the defender badly needs following a reaction to his knee injury,
with Branislav Ivanovic switching to right-back to accommodate the captain.
Also back in the side was Victor Moses, now an
African champion, though the game was deemed too soon for his Nigerian
compatriot John Mikel Obi. Demba Ba, cup-tied in Europe, replaced Fernando
Torres up front.
First half
Brentford's Adam Forshaw brought the game's first
moment of excitement with a quick burst forward and snapshot that bounced past
Petr Cech's right-hand post, and shortly afterwards Clayton Donaldson headed
tamely wide.
Sandwiched between those incidents, Chelsea
almost took the lead when Moses was fouled out on the right flank, allowing
Mata to cross and Ivanovic to head towards goal, unfortunately his effort
dropping just past the far post. Ba produced a similar result from Oscar's
cross, and then the Brazilian saw his own effort deflected over by some brave
Brentford defending.
Chelsea v Brentford
They might not have brought an opening goal, but
the first 20 minutes had given enough encouragement to think the Blues should
be able to get the job done in regular time.
Lampard and David Luiz both shot waywardly, and
then some brilliant link-up play from David Luiz, Moses and Mata put Oscar in
to score, but at the crucial moment he slipped and instead his shot bounced out
of play off the outside of the post.
Brentford's goal was living a charmed life, but the
visitors could have taken the lead themselves five minutes from the break when
David Luiz fouled Forshaw on the edge of the box. The midfielder struck the
resulting free-kick straight into the wall, and then saw his follow up blocked.
Three minutes later Lampard had a golden
opportunity to become Chelsea's all-time top FA Cup goalscorer, but his 26th in
this competition evaded him as he volleyed Ivanovic's low centre wide.
Second half
The opening stages of the second period brought
no difference to the action, with Chelsea pressing for an opener and Brentford
bravely resisting.
It nearly came through Ivanovic's header, which
was well saved by Simon Moore in the visitors' goal, and then a series of
blocks denied the Blues, but nothing could stop Juan Mata's low thunderbolt
from giving us the lead after 53 minutes.
A long Cech clearance was nodded down and the
Spaniard pounced on it, 30 yards from goal, and strode forward with a touch
into space before smashing the ball into the bottom corner of the net. For the
first time in the tie, we were in front.
Brentford introduced attacking midfielder Harry
Forrester immediately as they sought to get level, but it was Chelsea who would
score again, through Oscar.
Chelsea v Brentford
Substitute Eden Hazard nicked the ball away from
a striped shirt and slipped in Ivanovic, whose low cross found the Brazilian,
and Oscar sent a clever flick through his legs and under the goalkeeper to
double the advantage.
The game was won and now it was a case of how
many goals the rampant Blues would score. Another break found Mata inside the
area and when he crossed Lampard was on hand to volley home a third goal to
break Bobby Tambling's FA Cup record. This was his 26th in the competition and
he was now just three behind the former striker's all-time club total.
Chelsea v Brentford
Nine minutes from time the excellent Oscar turned and crossed to the far post for Terry to head in
from a tight angle, and although it meant little in the game, the defender was
visibly delighted to be on the scoresheet once more after a frustrating few
months.
That was the final goal of the game, though in
injury time Gary Cahill almost added a fifth. Now it will be on to
Middlesbrough in the fifth round for a place in the last eight of the
competition we just love to win.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (c), Cole; David Luiz, Lampard (Bertrand 80);
Moses (Hazard 65), Mata (Benayoun 76), Oscar; Ba.
Unused substitutes Turnbull, Azpilicueta,
Ramires, Torres.
Goals Mata 54, Oscar 67, Lampard 71, Terry 81
Booked Ivanovic 69, David Luiz. 84.
Brentford (4-5-1): Moore; Logan, Dean, Craig, Bidwell; Forshaw (Saunders 78), Adeyemi,
Diagouraga (Reeves 72), Douglas (c), Donaldson; Trotta (Forrester 55).
Unused substitutues Lee, Barron, Hodson, Hayes
Referee Neil Swarbrick
Attendance 40,961
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