Chelsea smashed four goals past their near neighbours Brentford at Stamford Bridge this afternoon to cruise into the 5th Round of the FA Cup.
The score might suggest a riot, but the truth was far from it.
It took the home side until the 54th minute to breach a resolute rearguard when Juan
Mata struck a fine shot past Simon Moore.
The goals then came at regular intervals as class and fitness took their toll on the League One side.
Further strikes from Oscar, Frank Lampard and skipper John Terry did the damage, but
Brentford can hold their heads up high that they gave the Premier League side a real run for their money.
In fact, the first effort on goal came from the visitors on eight minutes when Adam Forshaw let fly from 25 yards. however the shot screwed across goal and out for a goal kick with Petr Cech in a good position save if necessary.
Branislav Ivanovic saw a header from a Mata corner go inches wide a minute later as both sides settle down to a period of attack and counter-attack.
A half chance by masked-up Demba Ba from an Oscar cross was headed high and wide over Simon Moore' s crossbar on 15 minutes.
A minute later, and yes, the obligatory chants of 'One Di Matteo' chorused around Stamford Bridge.
Quite what the watching Roman Abramovich thinks about this fans' defiance is anybodies guess.
Brilliant last-gasp defending by the visitors prevented Oscar from scoring a 'note later.
Harlee Dean deflecting Oscar shot over the crossbar.
The Blues should have taken the lead on 26 minutes when a quick counter-attack by the home side saw Mata slip the ball to Oscar. The Brazil midfielder slipped and scuffed his right-footed effort on the edge of the penalty area and the ball rebounded off Moore's left upright and out of play.
While Brentford we content to defend in depth they were not shy to attack when possible and on 33 minutes Forshaw, again, had a shot. This time his left-footed effort was inches wide of Cech's left post.
The 6,000 Brentford faithful thought they had a penalty six minutes before the break, but David Luiz's trip on Forshaw was just outside the Chelsea area.
Unfortunately, the resultant free-kick was charged down by the Chelsea defensive wall.
The second half started with Chelsea raising the tempo of their play with the firm intention of getting the opening goal, and it almost worked on the 49 minute when Mata crossed from the left. Ivanovic saw his header, on target, but saved by the diving Moore.
With the home side dominating possession, it was rather surprising that, on 54 minutes they would score from a long kick out from Cech. The ball fell invitingly to Mata who rammed home a fierce left-foot from just outside the Brentford area and wide of Moore's outstretched right arm.
Brentford boss Uwe Rosler was about to replace Marcello Trotta for midfielder Harry Forrester before the goal in order to push the home side back and made the substitution directly after the goal.
It had the desired effect as the Bees found themselves with a greater share of possession.
Interim boss Rafael Benitez decided that his side needed a change and £23m midfielder Eden Hazard came on on 65 minutes to replace ineffectual Victor Moses.
Hazard had an immediate effect, setting up overlapping Ivanovic who, on 67 minutes clipped in the perfect right-sided byline cross. Oscar was the first to meet the ball and back-heeled the ball from six yards.
Somehow the ball managed to elude a diving Moore and Dean on the goal line.
The expected floodgates seemed to inch wider open as the Blues started to run riot.
Three minutes later and Mata, once again became the provider as he whipped in a left-sided byline cross into the six-yard area.
Who else but Frank Lampard was on hand to volley home into the net to make it 3-0.
It also became the out-of-contract star's 199th goal for the Blues, three shy of Bobby Tambling's club record.
Lampard, 34, was replaced by Ryan Bertrand and the 40,961 crowd rose to cheer him off the pitch.
Forty seconds later and and nine minutes minute to go, the Blues hit number four - a simple far post header by John Terry from Oscar's deep cross which inched past Moore.
Brentford played the final minutes with 10 men as substitute Jake Reeves was forced off the pitch with concussion following a strong challenge from Luiz in midfield.
Chelsea will now face Middlesbrough, away on Wednesday, February 27 in the 5th Round of the FA Cup.
Brentford can now focus on their primary target, promotion from League One.
Teams: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole; Luiz, Lampard; Oscar, Mata, Moses; Ba.
Subs: Turnbull, Ramires, Tors, Hazard, Azpilicueta, Benayoun, Bertrand
Brentford: Moore, Forshaw, Craig, Dean, Douglas, Donaldson, Trotta, Adeyemi, Logan, Diagouraga, Bidwell,
Subs: Lee, Barron, Saunders, Hodson, Forrester, Reeves, Hayes
4: 5: 1
Referee: Neil Swarbrick