Brentford 4-0

Independent:

Rafael Benitez hails 'sunny days' as subplots cast shadows in Chelsea thrashing of Brentford

Chelsea 4-0 Brentford

By ROBIN SCOTT-ELLIOT

On a fleeting glance this presents a plot simple enough to fill the pages of one of Frank Lampard's planned children's novels. It reads something like this: FA Cup holders oust stubborn underdogs on sunny Sunday and, dear readers, I volley home the third goal with a sweet finish before my old pal JT also scores to show all is sweetness and light in the blue corner of west London. Roman Abramovich was even caught smiling.
Lampard was withdrawn, to warm applause and cries of: "Sign him up", moments before John Terry, back in the side for only his third start under Rafa Benitez, nodded home the afternoon's final goal to confirm a fifth-round trip to Middlesbrough a week on Wednesday. It was a comfortable finish to an ultimately comfortable afternoon but nothing is that simple at Stamford Bridge, certainly not when Banquo's ghost, or Avram Grant, is warming himself in the sunshine. There is layer upon layer of plot and subplot to work through here. Benitez and Terry, Benitez and the supporters, Abramovich and Lampard, now with 199 Chelsea goals to his name but no sign of a new contract, and Abramovich and Benitez. This is Russian novel territory.
"It doesn't matter if I see [Abramovich] or not," said Benitez when asked afterwards if the owner had come to say hello. "The main thing is the team doing well, winning games, clean sheet, four goals. Everything is fine. Sunny days."
On the sunny side of the ground, Grant had paid his respects to Abramovich, clad in a Chelsea Champions League jacket on one of his rare recent visits to the ground, and settled down to watch a first half in which Chelsea huffed and puffed to no avail. Sunday dinners had barely been digested before the first chants for Roberto di Matteo rang around the ground. A placard was displayed telling "Mr A" that Benitez is not the right man for the job.
"I am really pleased to be here, really pleased to work with this group of players, working very hard," said Benitez. "I will try to win every game and see what happens. I know that the priority is to be in the top four and if we can progress in the competitions until the end much better."
There were muted mumblings of discontent when the opening half finished goalless and with little for the home support to cling on to as Brentford, urged on by manager Uwe Rösler, busied themselves in disrupting their hosts' sluggish attempts to discover any rhythm. Twice Lampard scuffed shots when offered presentable opportunities to score, otherwise he was rarely in the game.
Oscar stumbled when given the clearest opening of the half and his mishit shot bounced off a post. Yet it was Brentford, seventh in League One, who had the ball in the net first. Mar-cello Trotta rolled the ball home but not before the referee, Neil Swarbrick, had blown for a foul on the impressive Adam Forshaw, once of Everton.
"With a little bit more fortune, a little bit more sensitivity from the referee we could have had the lead and that is what you need in games when you are massive underdogs," reflected Rösler, who admitted he had been surprised by Chelsea's team-sheet. "He put out a very physical team – Ba, Luiz, Lampard, Ivanovic and two centre-halves – I didn't expect that."
Chelsea were better from the start of the second period, with Juan Mata at the heart of most that was good. The home side at last began to take possession for long periods and an opening goal inside nine minutes put an end to any discontented rumblings in the stands. It came via route one; Petr Cech's punt, Demba Ba's knockdown and an immaculate finish from Mata, low and true from outside the box. It was the Spaniard's 17th of the season.
Rösler acknowledged that was that. His team had expended so much first-half energy that once they went behind there was little they could do to regain a foothold in the game. Oscar back-flicked in the second after Eden Hazard had won the ball in midfield and Branislav Ivanovic crossed low, but Simon Moore, Brentford's keeper, should have kept it out.
Three minutes later came Lampard's moment. Mata made it, haring down the left and picking him out six yards out. It was his 26th goal in the FA Cup, moving him ahead of Bobby Tambling as the club's record scorer in the competition. He is now on 199, three behind Tambling as the overall record scorer.
"He is doing well, he is scoring goals and hopefully he can score another 15 before the end [of the season]," said Benitez. "It will be good for the team, good for him, good for everyone."

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Guardian:

John Terry completes Chelsea goal glut to end Brentford's FA Cup dream

David Hytner at Stamford Bridge

Rafael Benítez has lamented Chelsea's lack of clinical edge on regular occasions yet he could enjoy one of those days when its presence brought reassurance, together with safe passage, in this FA Cup fourth-round replay.
Brentford were relentlessly game opponents but Chelsea's class stretched them before breaking the visiting team, Juan Mata's fizzing, long-range drive shortly after the interval serving as the prompt for a second-half glut. The scoreline was harsh on Brentford, who were left to lament how close they had come to knocking out the European champions at Griffin Park three weeks ago but Chelsea deserved the reward of a fifth-round trip to Middlesbrough. Their Cup defence is alive and kicking.
Frank Lampard staged his bid for the headlines with the third, arriving late to volley home Mata's cross to bring up his 199th goal in the club's colours. Roman Abramovich, the owner, was present to hear the crowd demand that the midfielder be given the new contract he wants to keep him at Stamford Bridge next season. Inexorably, Lampard is reeling in Bobby Tambling, who has Chelsea's all-time scoring record with 202.
Oscar had flicked in the second and Chelsea's afternoon was completed by the sight of John Terry cavorting in celebration after heading the fourth, from the Brazilian's deep cross. It was only Terry's third start since November, as he has battled the frustration of knee trouble.
For Brentford, there was pride, even if it was tempered by the heaviness of the result. As they had done in the original tie, when Fernando Torres' only goal of the calendar year had bailed out Chelsea, Uwe Rösler's team impressed with the intensity of their pressing and their collective refusal to bow to reputations. But the manager admitted that it was always going to be a struggle to maintain these levels and a mental lapse proved to be the beginning of the end.
The first goal was of tremendous importance, and Brentford thought that they had scored it. The eye-catching Adam Forshaw was fouled on the edge of the Chelsea area by David Luiz in the 39th minute, and the referee Neil Swarbrick whistled immediately for the free-kick, which would come to nothing. Had he waited for a couple of seconds, he would have seen Marcello Trotta ram the ball into the net.
Chelsea, though, did get it and it was nothing short of a disaster for Brentford who, Rösler claimed, had started to make the hosts "run out of ideas.". Mata's finish was magnificent; he took a touch to settle himself before blasting low and left-footed from 25 yards into the bottom corner.
But the build-up had hardly been the product of Chelsea's Premier League quality. Petr Cech hoofed the ball from back to front and Demba Ba won a scruffy aerial challenge to work it to Mata. Simon Moore who, moments earlier, had saved well from Lampard's header, was helpless.
It was a fiercely contested tie, with Rösler noting how Benítez had selected a "physical" team. Some of the challenges overstepped the mark, with Gary Cahill horribly late on Jonathan Douglas in the first-half and David Luiz guilty of a sickening barge on Jake Reeves in the 86th minute, which left the Brentford substitute concussed and his team to play out time with 10 men, Rosler having made all of his changes.
Forshaw was on the right of what was effectively a five-man midfield and Chelsea had to work for space. They came to call the tune although, initially, there was frustration as they spurned a fistful of first-half chances. The best of them fell to Oscar after slick build-up work and a final ball from Mata but, slipping as he shot, the Brazilian hit the outside of the post.
Lampard was in shoot-on-sight mood but his eventual success was presaged by misses. He scuffed from Victor Moses' cut-back – Harlee Dean threw himself in the way of Oscar's follow-up – and volleyed wide when well-placed before half-time. Branislav Ivanovic had threatened with a header for Chelsea while Forshaw twice went close from distance at the other end.
After Mata's breakthrough the pain arrived for Brentford. The substitute Eden Hazard fed the overlapping Ivanovic, after Toumani Diagouraga's loose pass and Oscar's deflected back-heel wriggled underneath Moore and beat Dean on the line. Then came Lampard and Terry, the old one-two, for numbers three and four. For Benítez, there was beauty in the routine.
Man of the match: Juan Mata (Chelsea)

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Telegraph:

Chelsea 4 Brentford 0
Paul Kelso

Four goals, a clean sheet, harmony in the stands and blue skies over Stamford Bridge. With the sun shining on Sunday lunchtime, you could have mistaken Chelsea for a club at peace with itself.
It is seldom that simple in SW6 but in this comprehensive defeat of Brentford, Chelsea enjoyed one of their least troubled afternoons of a difficult season.
Roman Abramovich, making his first visit to Stamford Bridge this month, saw his club dispatch their League One opponents in the manner he would expect of European champions. Avram Grant was in the crowd too. The pair shared a handshake, but on this evidence the Israeli – on standby for a Chelsea crisis – will remain a social visitor.
Having withstood a spiky, spirited first-half display from their neighbours, a second-half salvo of four goals in 26 minutes from Rafael Benítez’s side settled the contest. Goals from Oscar and the outstanding Juan Mata ended Brentford’s resistance. Two more from Frank Lampard and the returning John Terry left the home supporters praising heroes of happier days.
It was not always pretty. Gary Cahill and David Luiz were both guilty of dangerous challenges that received inadequate punishment, the latter for a gratuitous body-check that left 19-year-old Jake Reeves with concussion but was punished only with a yellow card. Such conduct was effective though.
There was even time for club, manager and captain to unite against reports of division, with Terry and Benítez dismissing as “rubbish” suggestions of a rift between them.
Terry’s role in the team has become an issue because he has made only two starts since struggling to return from a knee injury suffered in November. Benítez left him out of the team that played in Prague on Thursday, citing the superior fitness and form of Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic, and saying Terry will have to fight for his place.
Terry seemed happy with his lot: “The manager knows I want to play. I have been out for two or three months, but the other two [centre-backs] have been doing well. It’s good to have competition.” Benítez said: “We do not have any problem.”
After Brentford came within six minutes of the shock of the round at Griffin Park a fortnight ago, the Chelsea manager selected a full-strength side capable of coping with the physical challenge of Uwe Rösler’s team.
Cahill joined Terry at centre-half, Victor Moses returned to midfield for the first time since winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria. Luiz and Demba Ba returned having missed the game in Prague.
Brentford showed two changes from the first game, with Jake Bidwell and Tom Adeyemi selected. Rösler again set up his side to harry Chelsea and hoped to provide Marcello Trotta with chances on the break.
For much of the first half it worked. While Chelsea dominated possession, they struggled to create clear chances against energetic opponents as committed in the tackle as their 6,000 fans were in their support.
Chelsea responded in kind and Cahill was fortunate to escape without a card after a studs-up lunge raked Jonathan Douglas's shin. They also enjoyed good fortune when ­referee Neil Swarbrick blew for a foul moments before Trotta shot past Petr Cech late in the first half. Luiz had fouled Adam Forshaw, but Swarbrick could have played advantage.
For all the brawn on show, the game turned on the brilliance of Mata, the slightest player on the field but also the best. While Chelsea fans fret over the future of Lampard and Terry, it is the Spaniard who is irreplaceable. He is the team’s creative fulcrum and their leading scorer. While Oscar and Eden Hazard acclimatise to the English game, Mata has delivered all season.
He scored one and made one here, and left the field with 15 minutes remaining to a standing ovation. His 17th goal of the season came on 55 minutes via route one, Mata driving left-footed past Simon Moore from 20 yards. Oscar scored the second 13 minutes later with a touch of finesse, a back-heel from Ivanovic’s cross eluding the goalkeeper and three Brentford defenders on the line.
Lampard and Terry added polish to the scoreline, the former with a cushioned volley – his 199th goal for the club – and the latter with a far-post header.
Players and crowd exchanged applause as they left the field, but the sense remains that this season is the end of an era. For Benítez, meanwhile, this was the first game since he arrived that featured no verbal abuse. For him, that counts as a very good day indeed.

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The Times

Chelsea 4 Brentford 0: Turbulence on ice as Chelsea enhance Cup record

Matt Hughes


 With the pitch bathed in light and Chelsea scoring four unanswered goals in the space of 28 second half minutes to enhance their enviable recent record in the FA Cup, it briefly appeared as if a club whose turbulent season has resembled a form of civil war was at peace. That it was Frank Lampard and John Terry who had added to the game-breaking goals from Juan Mata and Oscar increased the revelry of the home supporters basking in the early spring sunshine.
 Even on a rare day of unity at Stamford Bridge however, some recurrent problems are never far from the surface. The vocal chants of “sign him up” as Lampard left the field to a standing ovation provided an unwanted reminder of the stand-off between the club and their most productive player, while the sight of Avram Grant and Roman Abramovich in the executive also set tongues wagging. Whether a coincidence or not, the presence of Chelsea’s previous caretaker manager can only have added to the pressure on the club’s existing temporary custodian, Rafael Benitez.
 In this context an initially hard-fought if ultimately straightforward win was a triumph for Benitez, which will have increased his belief that he can end his brief spell at the club with silverware, with good reason. Chelsea have won four of the last six FA Cups, and have not suffered a single defeat without recourse to a penalty shootout since 2008, and over the course of these tense local derbies have once again demonstrated their commitment to the competition.
 It had taken 144 minutes for Chelsea to gain the lead against Brentford, their nearest neighbours but worlds apart in terms of ambitions and resources, and after finally inching ahead in the fourth round replay, they were never going to relinquish their advantage. Showing the spirit that has been a recurrent theme of their impressive cup run Brentford pushed manfully for an equaliser, but for once during this turbulent season Chelsea stayed resolute and went on to win at a canter.
 Chelsea’s opening goal also owed more to their resilience than the romantic notions of flowing football that continue to inspire Abramovich’s tinkering with his team, although Mata’s finish was exquisite. Petr Cech began the move with a routine clearance from his own penalty area in the 54th minute, which Tony Craig, the Brentford centre back, could only head straight into the path of Mata. In npower League One such an error of judgement would rarely be punished, but the Spaniard reacted ruthlessly, controlling the ball in an instant and shooting past Simon Moore from the edge of the area.
 With the pressure lifted Chelsea’s players relaxed and began to enjoy themselves, at least as much as they can given the tension and sense of looming crisis that surrounds the club. Eden Hazard, a substitute, showed that he possesses the tenacity to underpin his undoubted talent by creating Chelsea’s second goal out of nothing 14 minutes, with the Belgium international winning the ball in central midfield before creating space to release Branislav Ivanovic down the right. The Serbian’s cross from the byeline was met by Oscar, who marked his most impressive performance for some time by beating Moore with a wonderful back-flick.
 Given the changed atmosphere it seemed inevitable that Lampard would come to the party, and four minutes later the vice-captain obliged. Mata made the goal as he has so many this season, by drifting out from the middle and crossing from the left for Lampard to score his 199th goal for the club from close range. The 34-year-old requires just four more goals to beat Bobby Tambling’s club record of 202, an achievement which is increasingly looking like a matter of time.
 John Terry added to the feel-good factor by heading in Oscar’s cross to score on his first start at Stamford Bridge for over three months, and for once everyone at Chelsea seemed content. It is unlikely to last.

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Mail:

Chelsea 4 Brentford 0: Blues cruise but Luiz is latest to say sorry after body-check

By MATT BARLOW

Not for the first time this year, a cup tie ended with a Chelsea star offering profuse dressing-room apologies to a wounded teenager.
At Swansea it was Eden Hazard offering his hand to a ball-boy he had kicked in the ribs. At Stamford Bridge it was David Luiz saying sorry to Jake Reeves for slamming the 19-year-old into a state of concussion with a needless body-check.
Luiz was booked and Brentford finished the game with 10 men but it did not influence the outcome.
Chelsea were 4-0 up by this point and coasting towards their  reward of a fifth-round trip to Middlesbrough, having finally shaken off their persistent League One neighbours.
Juan Mata broke the deadlock in the 54th minute of this fourth-round replay, before Oscar, Frank  Lampard and John Terry swiftly rattled in three more to give the illusion that this had been a  Sunday lunchtime stroll. It wasn’t quite without hiccup for the Blues, but they had a far better grip on this game than they ever did on the original tie at Griffin Park, where they were twice behind and within seven minutes of an embarrassing exit until Fernando Torres salvaged a 2-2 draw.
Chelsea have won four out of the last six FA Cup finals and although interim manager Rafa Benitez insists a top-four finish is his priority, everyone knows owner Roman Abramovich, watching his team for the first time in a month, likes a silver pot on the shelf come May.
Such spirit and determination has not always been in evidence for the Blues this season. Five trophies have eluded them already and the Barclays Premier League title appears well beyond them, but they are fighting to defend this one.
‘It was a physical game,’ said Brentford manager Uwe Rosler. ‘We gave it all and we forced them to give it all to beat us.’
Gary Cahill set the tone with  a nasty challenge on Jonathan Douglas. A free-kick had already been given against Douglas for  lifting a boot near Mata’s head, but as the whistle sounded Cahill was lunging into a tackle which took the Brentford skipper out above the ankle.
For referee Neil Swarbrick it was not even worth a booking. Rosler, as with the Luiz body-slam,  had no complaints and Benitez insisted these were ‘normal tackles,  especially in a cup competition’.
Douglas did not dispute it either. He carried on without fuss, in  contrast to Ashley Cole, who yelped and collapsed in a heap when barely caught on the arm by  Shaleum Logan minutes later.
Chelsea nerves were becoming frayed. They had dominated the opening half and squandered some excellent chances. Oscar hit a post after a slick move featuring a neat touch from Victor Moses. Lampard volleyed wide before the break and was denied by a splendid save from Simon Moore after the restart.
Brentford were restricted to long-range efforts by Adam Forshaw, but they did have the ball in the net, six minutes before the interval.
Forshaw was tripped by Luiz as he darted into the penalty box and referee Swarbrick gave the foul as the ball spilled for Marcello Trotta, who slotted it past Petr Cech.
The goal was ruled out and play brought back to the free-kick, which led to nothing.
‘On a better day the referee could have waited a few seconds and we could have been 1-0 up,’ said Rosler. ‘That is what you need when you are massive underdogs. You have to have an extremely good day when you come to Chelsea. We needed the margins on our side and they weren’t.’
Two goals in 15 second-half  minutes stunned Brentford. First Mata seized on a loose ball after Harlee Dean, under pressure from Demba Ba, had been unable to clear a long punt from Cech, and lashed in from 25 yards his 17th goal of the season.
Oscar, the game’s outstanding player, then converted a cross by Branislav Ivanovic with a flick which meandered along a charmed path into goal past Logan’s outstretched leg, under Moore’s dive and in off Dean’s toe on the line.Then Lampard and Terry scored the goals which delighted Chelsea fans. Lampard struck his 199th for the club, volleying home Mata’s cross 19 minutes from time.
Three more and he will be level with Bobby Tambling, the club’s record goalscorer. ‘Roman, sign him up,’ sang fans in the Matthew Harding Stand.
Abramovich giggled and sank deeper into the insulation of his Champions League coat but chose not to pull his hands from his pockets when the ground rose again to cheer Lampard from the pitch, just before Terry headed a fourth.
Chelsea’s skipper scored at the back post from Oscar’s cross and later vowed to fight for his place.
‘The manager knows me and I want to play,’ said Terry. ‘I’ve been out for two or three months and others have been doing well.’
Benitez will probably reveal who he considers his strongest central defensive pair against Manchester City on Sunday. Before then,  Chelsea will attempt to defend their 1-0 lead against Sparta Prague.
Brentford return to League One and Rosler expects Reeves will no longer be seeing stars by the time Walsall arrive on Saturday.


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Mirror:

Chelsea 4-0 Brentford
Capt off nicely: Terry grabs fourth goal as Chelsea march on in the FA Cup
By John Cross 

Roman Abramovich is keeping his hands in his pockets when it comes to Frank Lampard.
The whole of Stamford Bridge stood to applaud Lampard when he was substituted after taking another step towards Bobby Tambling’s goals record and becoming Chelsea’s all-time leading FA Cup scorer.
But the Chelsea owner, at ­the Bridge for the first time in nearly a month, kept his hands firmly in his coat as the fans chanted “sign him up” after Lampard helped the Blues into the fifth round and a tie against Middlesbrough.
Abramovich did at least applaud and smile when Lampard scored Chelsea’s third in the 71st minute but the Russian billionaire is yet to present the 34-year-old with a new contract offer.

To every Chelsea fan and neutral it seems unthinkable that the club’s owner will let Lampard leave and there does seem to be a new will to try to keep him.
But even if Lampard heads for the sunshine of LA Galaxy this summer, the England midfielder will surely have enough time to rewrite the record books.
Lampard made it 199 Chelsea goals, is just three behind Tambling’s record, and also surpassed the Stamford Bridge legend with a 26th FA Cup goal.
That makes it 13 for the season, five in his last six games and Lampard has been involved in 24 goals – scoring 15 and nine assists – in his last 25 appearances in the FA Cup. Not bad for a Chelsea pensioner.

Chelsea were made to work hard for the win by their League One ­opponents. And when it did not go their way, they got nasty. Gary Cahill was lucky not to be booked for a nasty, late over-the-top challenge on Brentford captain Jonathan Douglas.
Lampard, Oscar and Mata all went close but Brentford were unlucky when referee Neil ­Swarbrick did not play advantage after David Luiz fouled Adam Forshaw. He awarded a free-kick moments before Marcello Trotta put the ball in the net.
But Chelsea finally opened the floodgates 10 minutes after the restart. Petr Cech’s long clearance was helped on by Demba Ba, Mata took the ball and unleashed a fierce 20-yard drive which flew into the bottom corner.

The Spaniard was exceptional throughout as his invention, craft and dynamism typified his season as he has built on his first year to become even more ­influential.
Chelsea grabbed a second after 68 minutes when substitute Eden Hazard fed Branislav Ivanovic, his cross was cut back for Oscar and the Brazilian’s back heel somehow trickled into the net.
Three minutes later, Lampard enjoyed his moment. Mata – who else? – made a strong run down the left, cut the ball back and Lampard swept home.
Chelsea completed the rout after 81 minutes when Hazard’s short corner routine with Oscar worked a treat. The Brazilian’s back-post cross was perfect for skipper John Terry who announced his return with a powerful header.

Job done. But there was still time for David Luiz to take out Brentford substitute Jake Reeves with a nasty, cynical shoulder into the 19-year-old’s face.
The Brazilian was lucky only to be booked. ­Brentford finished the game with 10 men after using all their subs and at least Reeves was given a lasting memory of the occasion.
Thankfully, Luiz ­apologised to the ­youngster afterwards and Reeves was given the all clear

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Sun:

Mark Irwin
Chelsea 4 Brentford 0

ROMAN ABRAMOVICH turned up at Chelsea expecting an earful and left wondering what all the fuss was about.
The absentee owner has hardly been seen at Stamford Bridge this season as the wheels have come off for his struggling team.
But if the billionaire Russian expected to walk into a supporters’ revolt he was in for a surprise as fans’ favourites Frank Lampard and John Terry made sure it was smiles all round
It was his first visit to the Bridge since last month’s 2-1 win against Arsenal, and even Abramovich chuckled as Lampard’s 199th Chelsea goal was celebrated with chants of “Roman, Roman sign him up”.
But the biggest cheer of the afternoon was reserved for captain Terry when he headed in his team’s fourth goal to finish off brave Brentford.
Manager Rafa Benitez had demanded Terry prove his full fitness following a three-month lay-off with a knee injury before restoring him to his starting line-up on a regular basis.
But the 32-year-old centre-half strolled through this game like a spring chicken before squeezing his 81st-minute header inside the back post from Oscar’s cross.
It was the perfect end to a decent day’s work for Chelsea as they secured a fifth-round trip to Middlesbrough with the minimum of fuss.
There is a dark cloud on the horizon, though.
If they get past Boro, they then face the winners of tonight’s Manchester United v Reading tie.
The sight of manager-waiting-to-happen Avram Grant watching from Abramovich’s box must have given Benitez a few anxious first-half moments as his team laboured to break down their neighbours from League One.
But the busy Bees had put so much effort into chasing every ball and closing down their superstar opponents that it was bound to take its toll.
The first tie at Brentford had been slugged out in appalling conditions on a mud-heap of a pitch. But with the sun shining and Chelsea able to stroke the ball about, there was only ever going to be one outcome this time.
Benitez was certainly taking no chances, selecting all of his “big’ characters after watching so many of his Premier League rivals paying the FA Cup price for resting their stars.
In fact, he had so many options at centre-half he ended up playing all four of them.
It was that experience which proved decisive in the end and once they had their noses in front from Juan Mata’s 54th-minute goal it was game over for Brentford.
Mata struck with a precise shot from the edge of the area after Harlee Dean had failed to deal with Petr Cech’s long punt down the middle.
If there was an element of route one about Chelsea’s opener, there was no questioning the quality of their second as Oscar backheeled Branislav Ivanovic’s low cross over the line in the 68th minute.
The little Brazilian is starting to flourish after a slow start to his Chelsea career and looks more at home in the No 11 shirt with every game.
In time he might even become as influential as Mata, the Spanish playmaker who remains the one player Chelsea cannot afford to be without.
It was Mata’s 71st-minute cross which allowed Lampard to volley in and move to within three of Bobby Tambling’s 202-goal club record.
With better finishing, he probably could have reached that milestone yesterday but missed twice right in front of goal and brought a sharp save from keeper Simon Moore with a stooping header.
Yet he was still given a standing ovation when he was withdrawn for the final 10 minutes with the tie put to bed.
The home fans were still on their feet seconds later when Terry peeled away at the back post to finish off Oscar’s cross.
But it was still the visiting Brentford supporters who were making all the noise, cheekily demanding “we want Torres’ as Chelsea’s £50million striker was left on the subs’ bench.
Uwe Rosler’s team did have the ball in the net shortly before the interval through Marcello Trotta but ref Neil Swarbrick had already blown for a David Luiz foul on Adam Forshaw.
Brentford were far from happy by Luiz’s bodycheck which left substitute Jake Reeves concussed and his team down to 10 men.
But nothing could take the gloss off the afternoon for a team who will return to their League One promotion chase reinvigorated by the £750,000 generated from their first visit to Stamford Bridge since 1946.
For Chelsea, the fight to save their season continues on an almost daily basis.
Abramovich might be smiling for now but no one at the Bridge should be under illusions about the wind of change blowing their way this summer.

DREAM TEAM RATINGS

STAR MAN — JUAN MATA(Chelsea)

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Terry 7, Cole 6, Luiz 5, Lampard 6 (Bertrand 5), Oscar 7, Mata 8 (Benayoun 5), Moses 6 (Hazard 7), Ba 6. Subs not used: Turnbull, Ramires, Torres, Azpilicueta. Booked: Ivanovic, Luiz.

BRENTFORD: Moore 6, Logan 5, Craig 6, Dean 7, Bidwell 5, Adeyemi 6, Diagouraga 6 (Reeves 5), Douglas 7, Forshaw 7 (Saunders 5), Donaldson 7, Trotta 5 (Forrester 5). Subs not used: Lee, Barron, Hodson, Hayes.
REF: N Swarbrick 6

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Express:

Lampard gives Roman a hint

It was the first time the Chelsea owner had been to the Bridge to watch his team in nearly a month and, as usual, plenty had happened in that time. They had tumbled out of the Capital One Cup, thrown away a two-goal lead at Reading and lost at Newcastle.
Interim-manager Rafa Benitez had become even more unpopular with the fans – if that was possible – and Chelsea’s season had stumbled from bad to worse.
Yesterday though, as the spring sun shone, Chelsea brought a better week to a happy ending. A win in Prague in their opening Europa League game was followed by this comprehensive victory over gallant League One Brentford.
Abramovich beamed down upon it all. He clapped when Frank Lampard, the man he is yet to offer a new contract, scored Chelsea’s third goal. But he did not join in when Lampard was taken off to rapturous applause nine minutes from time.
Abramovich, with his former manager and close friend Avram Grant sitting beside him, could not have failed to hear the “Sign him up” or “One Frankie Lampard” songs which have reverberated around the Bridge ever since it became evident that Chelsea may discard the 34-year-old at the end of this season.
It probably will not matter. Abramovich does what he wants, because he can, because he owns the club. It is his fiefdom, has been since the day he rolled into town.
Just as the chants of “There’s only one Di Matteo”, which still ring around the ground in the 16th minute of every game, cut little ice. Lampard’s goal yesterday was his 199th for Chelsea, leaving him three short of Bobby Tambling’s all-time record for the club. But it was his 36th in the FA Cup – and that puts him ahead of Tambling. Some feat, that.
It was not all about Frankie and Roman yesterday though.
Brentford, having deservedly held Chelsea 2-2 in the first game between the sides at Griffin Park three weeks ago and come very close indeed to knocking their supposed superiors out of this competition, had a major role to play in this drama. They once again proved stubborn opposition.

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Star:

CHELSEA 4 - BRENTFORD 0: ROMAN FAILS TO SHARE THE BUZZ

CHELSEA eventually swatted away the Bees of Brentford yesterday but owner Roman Abramovich was not exactly buzzing in his box.
All four Blues goals – from Juan Mata, Oscar, Frank Lampard and John Terry – came in the second half.
But seeing his plaything progress from this FA Cup fourth-round replay to face Middlesbrough at the Riverside on February 27 did not seem like nectar to the billionaire.
Skipper Terry and his deputy Lampard are, apparently, not Abramovich’s best buddies of late, but they delivered to help quell the challenge of battling Brentford.
At least Terry has a full season left on his contract. Lampard, now Chelsea’s record scorer in the FA Cup with 36 goals, looks set to go at the end of this season.
This was not one of Lamps’ brightest shows. He could have had a hat-trick to take him to within a strike of Bobby Tambling’s club best of 202 but was surprisingly out of sorts before the break.
Still, when he went off in the 81st minute, it was to a standing ovation.
Abramovich’s hands stayed buried in his pockets. And it was a sunny 10 degrees in west London yesterday!
Similarly, when fans chorused “Frankie, we want you to stay” after his goal, the tycoon’s lips remains sealed. Abramovich would make a good poker player.
At least Rafa Benitez’s men, the Cup holders, are on a decent run of three straight wins, nine goals scored and just one conceded.
But this game could have been oh so different if Brentford had enjoyed a bit of fortune.
Chelsea started the brighter. Lampard scuffed a shot into the ground and Oscar’s follow-up was blocked by Harlee Dean.

Then Lampard blazed over and Oscar slipped and miscued his shot on to a post after being put clear by the excellent Mata.
Next came a cruel blow for the Bees in the 40th minute.
David Luiz tripped Adam Forshaw and referee Neil Swarbrick blew in an instant, not realising the ball had broken free for Marcello Trotta to slot home with his left foot.
With the Chelsea fans so hard on Benitez it would have been interesting to see how they would have reacted to seeing their team go behind again to Brentford, who led twice at Griffin Park in the 2-2 draw and were just seven minutes off a fabulous giant-killing.
Lampard continued his off-day, sidefooting a right-foot volley wide. Then in the 54th minute Mata showed his team-mate how to finish.

A punt downfi eld from goalkeeper Petr Cech was nodded down by Demba Ba and, after a touch to control, the Spaniard drilled in a 20-yard left-foot shot.
As Eden Hazard came on for Victor Moses in the 66th minute, the visitors’ fans taunted Chelsea’s £50m striker Fernando Torres on the bench. “We want Torres,” they sang.
Hazard had an instant impact, releasing Branislav Ivanovic on the overlap to the byline in the 68th minute.
His pullback found Oscar and his clever backflick took a deflection and went underneath Simon Moore and through the legs of Dean on the line.
Dean was at fault again in the 72nd minute, diving in to challenge Mata but easily being turned by the super Spaniard.
He burst down the left and picked out Lampard with a perfect delivery, allowing him to sidefoot home a neat volley.
A minute later Terry made it four, embarrassing Tony Craig at the far post to power in a header from an Oscar cross.
Luiz was lucky to escape a second booking – or even a straight red – in the 84th minute, when he cynically shouldered 19-year-old substitute Jake Reeves off the ball as he burst through the centre of midfield, forcing the Bees to complete the game with 10 men.
That was nothing to do with the magic of the Cup for sure, but maybe Abramovich enjoyed it!