Chelsea 2-0 Stoke

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Frank Lampard and John Terry scored to set up a Wembley showdown with Aston Villa in the FA Cup.

Having surrendered their lead at the top of the Premier League thanks to wins for Arsenal and Manchester United yesterday afternoon, Chelsea have added another Wembley date to their fixture list pile-up thanks to goals from Frank Lampard and under-fire captain John Terry.

The Blues - having lost their last two games - were in clinical mood and another efficient-if-unspectacular victory for Carlo Ancelotti's side sets up a semi final occasion with Martin O'Neill's in-form Aston Villa in mid-April.

They took the lead ten minutes before half-time when Terry teed up Lampard on the edge of the box, and it was roles reversed after the interval when Terry headed home his third goal of the season from his England colleague's corner.

The margin of victory might have been greater, but Ancelotti will be pleased with the performance of his team after their humiliating thumping at the hands of Manchester City the previous weekend, during which the hosts lost their superb 37-game unbeaten run at Stamford Bridge.

However Chelsea were not in charitable mood, and Stoke were outclassed and outplayed by their hosts, who looked as comfortable as ever - including their skipper and stand-in goalkeeper. Whilst allegations of Terry's private life have been spread across the news, Henrique Hilario, the understudy to the crocked Petr Cech, has suffered scrutiny for an unconvincing display against City.

But an excellent late save from Ricardo Fuller to preserve a confidence-aiding clean sheet will do the Portuguese goalkeeper - who earned his first international cap in midweek - a world of good.

The match was always likely to be a match-up of Chelsea's guile and Stoke's brute strength and physicality, but the Blues demonstrated a second string to their bow with a dominating defensive performance - although they nearly fell behind with less than six minutes on the clock.

Mamady Sidibe headed over from Robert Huth's flick, before having a second effort blocked by Alex, who replaced the rested Ricardo Carvalho. But it was Dean Whitehead who came closest for Stoke, forcing a brilliant clearance off the line by John Mikel Obi after smashing a loose ball towards goal.

Nicolas Anelka, arguably Chelsea's best player on the day, was enjoying freedom out wide due to Stoke's narrow midfield, and it was he who had the most presentable of Chelsea's early chances; the first forcing a good save from Thomas Sorensen.

John Terry celebrates his game-clinching header.

He should have scored moments later when pouncing on a Whitehead mistake, but flashed a shot well wide with his left boot. However, the opening goal would come from Chelsea's next attack.

Florent Malouda's corner caused all sorts of problems in the Stoke box, allowing Terry to feed the ball to Lampard who lashed home beyond the despairing dive of Sorensen thanks to the slightest of deflections off of Stoke's captain Faye.

But Lampard's 16th of the season could not have been better-timed, and the goal was deserved from Chelsea's point of view with the hosts clearly the more creative side.

It could have been 2-0 before the whistle was blown for the interval but Didier Drogba's volley from Paulo Ferreira's smart cross from the left was stupendously saved by Sorenson at his near post to keep his side in the tie. Branislav Ivanovic had a shot deflected wide as Chelsea continued to press.

And it was little surprise when they doubled their advantage twenty minutes into the second half. Andy Wilkinson made two brilliant blocks to deny first Nicolas Anelka from close range after an excellent Chelsea counter-attack, but heading Alex's rocket header over his own crossbar.

However the Stoke defender was less fortunate when Terry's header flicked off his chest and beyond his own goalkeeper - and how did the Chelsea captain celebrate; showing his armband to the euphoric Chelsea supporters behind the goal.

It was little more than Chelsea deserved and the Blues seemed to grow in confidence following the game-clinching goal.

Stoke were having to come out of their shell leaving space to be exploited by Chelsea's forwards, and only a better touch from Kalou might have increased the score before he was blocked at source by Sorenson, who was enjoying a fine game between the posts for the Potters.

Anelka had a shot smartly blocked before Lampard's long-range effort brought a top-drawer save from the Dane to order to preserve a crumb of credibility to the scoreline.

But in truth, Tony Pulis' side were well and truly beaten, and a last-minute save from Hilario following a decent effort from Ricardo Carvalho confirmed the victory as Chelsea celebrated reaching their 19th FA Cup semi-final - and a Wembley date with Aston Villa.

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Chelsea: Hilario; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry ©, Ferreira; Lampard, Mikel, Malouda; Anelka, Kalou; Drogba

Stoke: Sorensen; Wilkinson, Faye, Huth ©, Collins; Delap, Whelan (Pugh), Whitehead, Tuncay (Lawrence); Sidibe (Kitson), Fuller

The TalkChelsea.net Man of the Match was Chelsea's number 39, NICOLAS ANELKA

[Term-X 7,891]

Alex was quality today, why carvalho gets priority is beyond me.