Chelsea go into the hat for Monday lunchtime's fifth round draw thanks to three first-half goals in a Sunday afternoon stroll of the game.

 

With no shots either on or off-target and no corners won, Nottingham Forest proved less threatening visitors than either Macclesfield or Wycombe earlier this month, despite playing their league football in a division higher.

 

For our part, Chelsea rarely shifted into a high gear during the 90 minutes but from the moment Andriy Shevchenko's heavily deflected effort gave his side an eighth minute lead, the result was never in doubt.

 

With no Michael Ballack nor Claude Makelele involved, Mourinho brought Shaun Wright-Phillips in on the right side of his midfield with Didier Drogba and Andriy Shevchenko remaining in attack.

 

Lassana Diarra was given his second start of the season, taking over Makelele's duties and it was all-change at full-back with Gérémi and Wayne Bridge returning.

 

Still no John Terry though - so Michael Essien again lined-up alongside Ricardo Carvalho in central defence.

 

Shevchenko drew a save from keeper Smith as early as the second minute with a tight-angle shot after Wright-Phillips had slipped him in.

 

Six minutes later, our number seven struck with considerably more success following almost constant home pressure.

 

The ball fell his way after Drogba's presence had prevented Forest dealing with a Gérémi long-throw. Shevchenko's hooked shot was on target anyway, but the keeper was cut out of the equation by a big deflection off right-back Curtis.

 

The tide of fortune really looks to be turning Sheva's way.

 

In front of a sold-out Stamford Bridge and attacking the end holding 6,000 away fans, Chelsea continued to swarm all over Forest in the opening minutes with blocked shot after blocked shot on the edge of the area. The away team were surrendering possession at bargain prices.

 

Diarra had started the game very well and was pressing the Blues forward from deep. Bridge was driving forward down the left at every opportunity.

 

It was a foul on the left-back by Southall that led to the second goal. Lampard ran over the placed ball, leaving it to Drogba who curled a 25-yard cracker inside the near-post via Smith's despairing glove.

 

The strike was Drogba's 22nd of the season. Chelsea were 2-0 up with 17 minutes gone.

 

Wright-Phillips had more incentive than most to do well in this game having been released by Forest as a junior. He struck a first-time shot a yard or two wide after Drogba chested the ball back on 26 minutes.

 

And there the truly promising chances ended until just before half-time despite Chelsea's continued dominance and Forest's total lack of anything remotely resembling teeth.

 

Perhaps it had all been too easy. Number one on José Mourinho's agenda for his half-time talk must have been to rack up the intensity once more and make clear superiority count.

 

But then with a minute of stoppage time being played, the Blues scored goal number three.

 

Mikel saw his initial shot blocked at the moment of impact but when Lampard's near-post corner rebounded first off Bennett and then Smith, the young Nigerian's task of poking the ball over the line from a yard out was a simple one.

 

Colin Calderwood made one change to the Forest team at half-time. Sammy Clingan came on for Grant Holt in a midfield switch.

 

The only chance for Forest to score in the game came after 13 minutes of the second-half. Agogo broke free to drill a low ball across goal that wasn't far from being touched in by either Tyson or Perch.

 

Chelsea's response was for Lampard to send Shevchenko away down the inside-right channel. A blasted drive across the goalmouth ended that break.

 

On 61 minutes, Drogba was given a rest. Kalou came on and went to the left side with Sheva moving more central.

 

Substitute Clingan became the first booking of the game for a foul on Lampard 15 yards inside the Forest half, shortly before Kalou's bouncing header from a Wright-Phillips cross was fielded by Smith.

 

On 66 minutes, Shevchenko drilled a first time volley well wide. Much closer went Lampard's swinging 20-yard shot two minutes later that evaded Smith's catch but was kept out by his planted leg.

 

With the result beyond doubt, the game drifted on without a great deal of purpose until good vision by Wright-Phillips set-up a crossing chance for Gérémi.

 

Essien, up field, climbed well and headed firmly but Curtis raced back to clear off the line.

 

There were further minutes on the pitch for 16-year-old midfielder Michael Woods when he replaced Lampard with 12 minutes to go. He was soon joined by Nuno Morais in a new-look midfield diamond.

 

Lester was a 90th minute booking for a nasty lunge on Morais. That came closer to causing damage to Chelsea than anything that had proceeded it in the game.

 

In 2000 when we last won the Cup, Forest were beaten at the Bridge 2-0 in the fourth round. In quest to make the first Final in the new Wembley, José Mourinho's team have gone one better.

 

Chelsea

Cech; Gérémi, Essien, Carvalho, Bridge; Diarra; Wright-Phillips (Morais 81), Lampard (c) (Woods 78); Mikel; Drogba (Kalou), Shevchenko.

Scorers Shevchenko 8, Drogba 21, Mikel 45+1.

 

Forest

Smith; Curtis, Morgan, Breckin (c), Bennett; Southall, Gary Holt, Perch (Dobie 72), Grant Holt (Clingan h-t); Tyson, Agogo (Lester 72).

Booked Klingan, Lester.