Two goals in each half saw Chelsea progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup as the Premier League leaders easily dismantled Dean Smith’s Brentford side.

Willian and Pedro gave the Blues a 2-0 lead just 20 minutes into the game, and it could had been more for the hosts had it not been for the heroics of Bees goalkeeper, Daniel Bentley.

However the keeper couldn’t stop his side in the second half, as substitute Branislav Ivanovic and a Michy Batshuayi penalty put the game to bed, and helped Chelsea progress to the next round of the FA Cup.

High-flying Blues

It was a quite start to action at Stamford Bridge. Both sides looked content of keeping the ball close to the ground, and looked to break each other down with steady build up that would lead to a clear-cut chance.

Brentford looked strong at the start, but that still didn’t stop the Blues from taking the lead just 13 minutes in in spectacular fashion.

After Pedro was brought down on the edge of the penalty box, Willian curled in a stunning free-kick on the edge of the area into the top right-hand corner, leaving Bentley with no chance of saving the well-taken free-kick by the Brazilian winger, to gave the Blues the lead.

Seven minutes later, Pedro had turned from provider to scorer, as the former Barcelona winner doubled Chelsea’s lead in the 20th minute.

Batshuayi burst down the Brentford half with two Bees’ players around him, the Belgian striker then played a great through ball to Pedro, and despite running at full speed, the Spaniard was able to slot the ball past Bentley at the near post, make it 2-0 to the hosts.

Busy work for Bentley

Batshuayi should had made it 3-0 to Chelsea, when a floated in corner found the head of John Terry, who knocked the ball down to Batshuayi, however his weak effort couldn’t roll past goal-line after Bentley did brilliantly to sweep the ball away from danger.

Bentley came to Brentford’s help once again when Ruben Loftus-Cheek fired a vicious shot from distance, but the former Southend United goalkeeper tipped the dipping effort over for a corner, and the resulting-set-piece was wasted by Nathan Ake.

The Bees’ number one was forced into two good saves in quick succession in the 38th minute. Cesc Fabregas fired a strike from distance that Bentley did well to tip around the post, and shortly after the danger was cleared, Loftus-Cheek tested the 23-year-old goalkeeper with a clean strike, however Bentley parried the shot away from danger.

Brentford bounce back

The closing stages of the first-half saw Brentford slowly start to gain their footing in the game. Asmir Begovic had remained untested for most of the first-half, however Begovic was called into action again in the final attempt of the half, as Yohann Barbet’s volley from close range was well saved by the former Stoke City keeper.

Brentford started the second half as they had ended the first. The Championship side almost pulled goal back, when Lasse Vibe shimmied his way through the penalty are, and rounded Begovic, but the winger took too much time, and Kurt Zouma was able to clear the danger.

Despite the pressure from their hosts, Chelsea still looked like a threat going on the break. Willian could had added a second goal when the winger danced his way through the Bees defence, but his strike flew way over the bar, and out for a goal kick.

Loftus-Cheek continued to pester the Brentford defence, after the English midfielder linked well with Willian through the heart of the Bees defence, however the playmaker’s chip from the 18-yard box had just too much power on it, and the ball dinked off the frame of the bar.

Nico Yennais had the perfect opportunity to put Brentford back into the game, when the former Arsenal player span away from his marker, setting up a one-on-one opportunity for himself, but his shot went straight at Begovic.

Super Slav

All hopes of a Brentford comeback were extinguished in the 69th minute, when substitute Ivanovic fired home Chelsea’s third goal of the game.

Pedro again was at the centre of the goal, as the Spanish international dashed through the Brentford defence with three Chelsea players supporting him, the winger opted to lay the ball off the Ivanovic, and the Serbian international blasted the ball past Bentley with a fantastic first-time effort, to put the game to bed for the hosts.

Game, set, match

Chelsea were not done there though, as Ivanovic was brought down in the penalty are with 10 minutes to go, and Michael Oliver pointed to the spot.

Batshuayi, who already had a goal disallowed earlier in the match, stepped up, and coolly sent Bentley the wrong way, making it 4-0 to Chelsea at the full-time whislte.

Chelsea now go into Monday’s draw for the fifth round of the FA Cup.