Chelsea beat Portsmouth

Juan Mata broke the deadlock at the start of the second half before a late brace from Ramires and a stoppage-time strike from Frank Lampard secured a flattering victory for the Blues in a fixture which was last played out in the 2010 final at Wembley.

Chelsea fans may be worried about their team's struggles to keep in touch with the other clubs at the top of the Premier League, but a quick glance at the fortunes of Portsmouth since the south coast club were beaten 1-0 at Wembley two years ago should put their travails into perspective.

However, Portsmouth may be in the bottom half of the Championship and in the midst of yet another takeover, but they acquitted themselves well for large parts of this tie, even if they never looked like winning it.

It was Chelsea who controlled the match for large parts, but Pompey had an excellent chance to go ahead inside the first 30 seconds.

Dave Kitson latched on to Mark Futacs's flick-on and got away from David Luiz long enough to fire a well-struck shot across Petr Cech but wide of the far post.

Soon enough, however, the six-times champions were the ones looking most likely to score.

Fernando Torres had a claim for a penalty turned down just past the 10-minute mark when he was brought down by Jason Pearce inside the box, but referee Anthony Taylor ruled that the defender had got a touch on the ball.

The Spaniard then went close two minutes later when he met Florent Malouda's inviting cross with a glancing header that forced a good save from Pompey goalkeeper Stephen Henderson.

Mata created a good opportunity for himself after cutting in from the right and working half a yard off two defenders only to blaze his strike over the bar.

Mata and Malouda combined well with Frank Lampard on the edge of the box to play the England midfielder into the area, but Henderson came off his line just in time to gather the ball before it was lifted over him.

Portsmouth midfielder David Norris was part of the Ipswich Town side that was thrashed 7-0 on the same ground in the third round last season, and he almost gained a measure of revenge when he pounced on Ashley Cole's mistake in defence and flashed his strike just wide of the near post.

After 45 minutes of frustration before the break, it took just three minutes after it for Chelsea to take the lead. There was a hint of handball in the build-up as Ashley Cole blocked Kitson's clearance but the officials let play continue. Malouda got to the byline and pulled the ball back to Mata inside the six-yard box and the Spaniard marked his first ever FA Cup appearance with a goal.

That goal looked as though it would open the floodgates but Portsmouth were desperately unlucky not to equalise soon afterwards when they were denied three times in quick succession. Some characteristic dithering on the ball from Luiz allowed Kitson to rob him of the ball and feed Futacs in the area. The Hungarian's shot was saved by Cech's legs and Joel Ward's headed effort on the rebound was blocked by a heroic dive by John Terry that led to the Chelsea captain clattering his foot against the post. The ball came out to Norris whose crisp strike was saved and held by Cech.

That was the last time Michael Appleton's side showed any true cutting edge and with five minutes to go Ramires secured the win. Earlier in the half the Brazilian had been unable to guide a header past Henderson after getting on to a nod-down from Torres, but this time he converted a similar chance.

Torres then set up Ramires again two minutes later when the Portsmouth defence were caught flat-footed and the Brazilian scampered through and lifted a classy finish over the keeper for his eighth goal of the season.

Lampard made his own mark in injury time when he turned inside the box and fired a low finish home for his 25th career FA Cup goal as Chelsea marched into the fourth round of the Cup for the 14th-straight season.