A brace of first-half goals from Dujuan Richards, whose pace and movement drifting out to the right and cutting infield caused Aston Villa constant problems, was the least Chelsea deserved from an opening 45 minutes we completely dominated.

Aston Villa tried to push back early in the second period, but the Blues kept them mostly at arms' length and added another two goals, Richards again heavily involved as he teed up strike-partner Deivid Washington, before substitute Tyrique George rounded things off deep in added time.

That means we are now guaranteed a spot in the top 16 of the Premier League 2 and qualification for the end-of-season title play-offs with two matches to spare.

Villa on the ropes

Chelsea set out our stall to attack right from the start and the home side had no answer to the relentless waves of Blues pushing forward early on.

Straight from kick-off we had the ball in the back of the net, when a lovely passing move involving most of the team ended with Zain Silcott-Duberry tapping in Deivid Washington’s cutback after just 14 seconds, but the offside flag had already been raised against the Brazilian.

That was just the start, though, and a little over 10 minutes in the Blues were able to celebrate the opening goal. It was a lightning-quick move, starting with an excellent sliding challenge from Josh Acheampong, making his first start for our Under-21s, in the middle of the pitch.

Kiano Dyer moved the ball on to Silcott-Duberry, who played in Richards first time. When the goalkeeper hesitated coming off his line, the Jamaican lifted a finish over him and into the net.

Then, 10 minutes later, Richards and Chelsea had a second. The assist came from an unlikely source, as keeper Teddy Curd spotted the forward on the last defender and launched a long ball over the top for him to chase. Richards did well to evade the attention of Villa’s Lamare Bogarde and make a yard for the shot, which he fired accurately into the bottom left corner.

It was nearly three before half-time, this time Deivid Washington showing great technique to pluck Richards’ deflected cross out of the air on the edge of the box and smash an instinctive half-volley on the swivel. Unfortunately it was rising just too much, rattling the crossbar with the keeper well beaten.

No raining on our parade

Aston Villa made three substitutions during the break and came out like a side with a half-time rollicking still ringing in their ears. That, combined with a change in conditions as a second-half downpour created an increasingly slippery surface, made for a very different start to the next 45 minutes.

The Villans probably should have pulled a goal back early on, when one of those subs Rory Wilson headed over unmarked six yards out, while Curd had to show good reactions to deny the same player at his near post.

Despite the home team's best efforts it was still Chelsea who carried the bigger threat, though. Zak Sturge was denied by a good low save from James Wright before our third goal arrived on a quick break.

Silcott-Duberry won the ball and released Richards to run at the backpedalling Villa defence from just inside our half. As they kept backing off, Dujuan delayed and drew defenders in, before laying off to Deivid Washington. The Brazilian had time and space to control and roll a finish in at the near post.

There was little chance of a way back for Villa from there. Although they kept trying and Curd produced an excellent save late on to keep out Aidan Borland, we could see things out well into the closing stages.

There was just time for the icing on the cake with virtually the last kick of the game, as two substitutes combined. Tyrique George had drifted offside as Shaun Wade looked to break forward in possession, but when a Villa defender’s tackle sent the ball back toward his own goal, George was free and had plenty of time to pick his spot and slot a finish into the bottom corner.

The teams

Chelsea (3-4-1-2): Teddy Curd; Brodi Hughes (Harrison Murray-Campbell 81), Billy Gee (c), Ishe Samuels-Smith (Shaun Wade 78); Josh Acheampong (Richard Olise 81), Kiano Dyer, Michael Golding, Zak Sturge; Zain Silcott-Duberry; Dujuan Richards (Tyrique George 70), Deivid Washington (Donnell McNeilly 70)
Scorers: Richards 11, 21, Deivid Washington 63, George 90+5
Booked: Olise 83

Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): James Wright (c); Triston Rowe, Travis Patterson, Thierry Katsukunya, Lamare Bogarde; Aidan Borland, Todd Alcock (Sil Swinkels h-t); Kadan Young, Omari Kellyman (Kyrie Pierre h-t), Jamaldeen Jimoh (Chisom Afoka 71); Kobei Moore (Rory Wilson h-t)
Unused sub: Lander Emery
Booked: Kellyman 32, Bogarde 70