A hugely enjoyable second-half goal fest saw Chelsea return to full working of order as two goals for Lampard and one each for Essien and Drogba added to the own-goal start gifted by Blackburn before the break.

Nine goals in two games has been some response to the defeat at Aston Villa and this latest victory, with Michael Ballack pulling the strings and the movement of the forward running players terrific, must have delighted Carlo Ancelotti who returned from visiting his sick father on Friday.

The manager was even able to give a debut to 17-year-old Jeffrey Bruma after the fifth goal had gone in.

It's true that hapless Blackburn were some way below full-strength but Chelsea had been struck an injury blow of our own with Ashley Cole unable to take part in the fixture.

He had failed to overcome the knock on his knee that forced his exit against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday. With Zhirkov unavailable through injury, Belletti moved across to fill in with Ivanovic at right-back.

There might have been no Ashley, but there was a Joe, the other Cole starting his first league game since the 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford back in January.

Deco made way, as did Kalou to allow for the return of Drogba. Carvalho, rested midweek, was also in the starting line up.

Prior the game, the One Game One Community week of action in support of the Kick Racism Out of Football campaign was marked by the players wearing t-shirts with the campaign logo on. A special address was read out to the crowd.

Cole, whose name was sung clear and loud before kick off, was given a clear chance to net before 30 seconds were on the clock. Lampard broke into the box on the left and chipped over to where his England colleague, unmarked, headed wide. The crowd sung again in support of Cole.

With the next attempt, Lampard decided to go it alone and was just a yard away from finding the top corner from the outside of the area with a 10th minute shot, cleanly struck. Ballack had done well to open up the space with his pass.

The German's head was almost picked out in front of goal by Drogba soon after and Blackburn conceded a free-kick as they attempted to clear their lines. Lampard wasted the shot.

On 18 minutes, Cole and Lampard combined well to advance into the area but the final ball was lacking.

A minute later, Ballack, the outstanding player in the opening stages, advanced over halfway and played a long pass out to Anelka whose cross was first time and low.

Givet, no doubt concerned about Drogba behind him, slid to cut it out and instead rolled the ball into his own net. The second own-goal at the Bridge this week had put the Blues on their way.

Drogba could have made it 2-0 within three minutes but flashed wide when the ball dropped his way at the far post.

The own-goal scorer's evening didn't get any better when he caught a Ballack shot clean in the face and tumbled liked a knocked-out boxer. A count wasn't needed for the centre-back to return to his feet. Givet had been one of the players coming into a Blackburn side devoid of regulars such as Samba and Chimbonda at the back and David Dunn up front. With Franco Di Santo also unavailable, Sam Allardyce had gone for Jason Roberts on his own up front.

Essien dipped a worthy attempt over from 25 yards and Lampard was again a whisker away from adding to his midweek goal, heading wide from a Ballack ball in.

Then when Cole and Lampard's tight passing made room for an Anelka shot, Robinson in goal rushed out and blocked. Chelsea were playing our best football since Tottenham were defeated here a month ago.

There was a brief moment of concern on 35 minutes when Cech advanced into a crowd to punch a long throw and missed, but Essien cleared. It said much about Blackburn's impotence that they had not once tested stand-in left back Belletti.

Drogba was soon testing Rovers by striking the hardest shot seen anywhere this weekend which dipped but was pushed away by a hurried Robinson.

Into stoppage time at the end of the half, the former England keeper pulled off a superb save, this time to deny Terry a scissor-volleyed goal after a free-kick was worked the skipper's way. From the corner that followed, Robinson stopped Drogba's close-range header.

Lampard had looked as if he had a goal in him throughout the game and two minutes into the second half, the moment had arrived. He slammed the ball in from 12 yards after a half-cooked clearance by the Blackburn defence as Drogba crossed low.

It was sweetly-struck but nothing like the Essien special that followed on 51 minutes.

From 35 yards and swinging away, that caught Robinson moving the wrong way for a fatal fraction of a second and the keeper couldn't recover. The ball crashed into the Matthew Harding End net. The stand that bears the late vice-chairman's name sang in tribute to him during the game. This week carried the 13^th anniversary of his death.

Anelka liked what he saw and tried to get in on the act with a couple of long-range digs of his own, both stopped by Robinson although the first time with a fumble.

With Chelsea rampant, the game had become a question of how many we would get.

The total went up to four on 58 minutes when Drogba was felled by Nelsen and Fergie's favourite ref, Alan Wiley, pointed to the spot. Lampard smashed it down the middle for his second of the game.

There was a very good shout for another spot-kick when Robinson looked to have caught the back leg of Drogba as he challenged out wide, but this time the ref pointed for a goal kick.

Goal number five was simple and deadly from Drogba, heading Ballack's 63^rd minute corner in at the near-post.

The game was well won by now but John Terry wanted that clean sheet, recovering tremendously to head Olsson's chip away from under the bar.

The chance had arrived to give Bruma his debut. The Dutch Under 21 international replaced Carvalho on 68 minutes, and looked comfortable in the company.

By that stage, Ferreira had replaced Belletti for his 100^th Chelsea league appearance, the Brazilian appearing to have some trouble breathing. 

Chelsea continued to flood forward and were denied a goal of the season contender after a scintillating one-touch move was cleared with Anelka poised to strike. The Frenchman then stung Robinson's hands with a 75^th minute drive.

Joe Cole was replaced by Sturridge on 77 minutes to a standing ovation.

Cech saved a late free-kick from Emerton to prevent any dampening of the mood in the crowd. The biggest win since Sunderland were beaten here by the same score just under a year ago was ensured.

Chelsea followers can sit back and enjoy Liverpool and Man United attempting to take points from each other tomorrow.

Chelsea (4-diamond-2): Cech; Ivanovic, Carvalho (Bruma 66), Terry (c), Belletti (Ferreira 60); Essien; Ballack, Lampard; J Cole (Sturridge 77); Anelka, Drogba.
Scorers Givet o.g. 19, Lampard 47, 58 (pen), Essien 51, Drogba 63.

Blackburn (4-1-4-1): Robinson; Jacobsen (Salgado 59), Givet, Nelsen (c), Olsson; N'Zonzi; Diouf, Andrews, Emerton, Pedersen (Hoilett 68); Roberts (Kalinic 51).
Booked Pedersen 45.

Watch the full 90 minutes from 6pm on Sunday on Chelsea TV.