Hasselbaink warms to task to leave Stoke in cold

Stoke City 0 Chelsea

Since Chelsea's only FA Cup conquerors over the past seven seasons have been Arsenal and Manchester United, it was always going to take something remarkable to prevent last year's beaten finalists reaching the sixth round yesterday. Stoke, bottom but one in the First Division, ran the Premiership's fourth-placed side close for nearly an hour but ultimately had no answer to the finishing flair of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Jesper Gronkjaer.

On the two previous occasions the Britannia Stadium had a full house or thereabouts, against Manchester City and Liverpool, Stoke conceded no fewer than 13 goals. Tony Pulis, the latest in their seemingly never-ending line of managers, had organised his ranks too well for history to be repeated. Yet once Hasselbaink struck early in the second half, Chelsea's superior technique asserted itself at last. The second goal, ruthlessly converted by Gronkjaer, summed up the difference between the teams.

Claudio Ranieri, relieved to come through against obdurate opponents without the injured Gianfranco Zola and Marcel Desailly, insisted afterwards he feared no one, not even the team that defeated them in last year's final. "Sooner or later we will beat Arsenal," the Chelsea manager said.

The player's perspective, from his outstanding performer, Graeme Le Saux, differed sharply. "If we can avoid Arsenal all the way, including the final, that would be great," said the left-back whose exclusion from the England squad looks increasingly like a case of cutting off the nose to spite the face.

Outside the ground, the three wizardly statues of Sir Stanley Matthews provided a reminder, 50 years on from the final with which his name will be forever associated, of the Cup's capacity to conjure magic in unpromising circumstances. Inside, it was a day for brass monkeys rather than bronze maestros, and some of the Chelsea side appeared not to relish the combination of bitter cold and a partisan crowd.

Hasselbaink, ironically, was conspicuous in that category prior to making the breakthrough. Too often during the first half, the Dutchman stood, hands on hips, berating colleagues rather than making runs or tracking back. Le Saux took a particularly sharp tirade after shooting over from a free-kick upon which Hasselbaink also had designs.

For all their feistiness, personified by the industrious James O'Connor, Stoke possessed insufficient creativity to take advantage of Chelsea's patchy display. Perhaps to their own surprise, however, they made the better half-chances before the break. O'Connor, forced on to his weaker foot by John Terry, sliced wide from Lewis Neal's pass after 10 minutes. Five minutes later, Neal himself volleyed wildly over when Karl Henry's cross dropped obligingly for him.

Steve Banks, the Chelsea fan playing in Stoke's goal, must have expected more opportunities to live up to his surname, another that holds a special place in Stokelore. In the event he had only one save of note before he was beaten, keeping out a header by Mario Stanic following a corner by Le Saux.

Chelsea were therefore flattered by the lead they seized early in the second half. Le Saux created the danger by running at the Stoke defence. His pass to Frank Lampard was steered away from goal, but only to Hasselbaink, who sidefooted his 11th goal of the season from a difficult angle.

O'Connor, pouncing on a defensive error, had a chance to equalise in the 70th minute, only to sky the ball over the bar from 12 yards. It proved an expensive miss as Chelsea, with Lampard looking increasingly authoritative, put the outcome beyond doubt with 14 minutes remaining.

Eidur Gudjohnsen, Chelsea's contribution to the tie's strong Icelandic flavour, sent Gronkjaer racing away down the right wing. Glancing up as he cut inside, the Dane noted a lack of blue shirts in the box and his ferocious drive tore into the net at the near post. It was scant consolation to Stoke that even Gordon Banks would have been pushed to keep out a shot of such ferocity.

Goals: Hasselbaink (52) 0-1; Gronkjaer (76) 0-2.

Stoke City (4-4-2): Banks; Thomas, Handyside, Shtanyuk, Hall; Henry (Gudjonsson, 56), O'Connor, Gunnarsson, Neal (Marteinsson, 79); Iwelumo, Greenacre (Goodfellow, 79). Substitutes not used: Wilson, Cutler (gk).

Chelsea (4-4-2): Cudicini; Melchiot, Gallas, Terry, Le Saux; De Lucas (Gronkjaer, 61), Lampard, Petit (Huth, 83), Stanic (Cole, 87); Hasselbaink, Gudjohnsen. Substitutes not used: Zenden, Evans (gk).

Referee: R Styles (Waterlooville).

Bookings: Stoke: Neal, Hall.

Man of the match: Le Saux.

Attendance: 26,615.