Shrewsbury 0-4 Chelsea

Chelsea eased their way into the FA Fifth Round as Shrewsbury proved unable to claim a second Premiership scalp.

Kevin Ratcliffe's side had provided the shock of the Third Round to dump Everton out of the competition, but Chelsea proved an altogether tougher challenge.

I'm back in business. The bad spell is over Chelsea's Gianfranco Zola

Shrewsbury were undone by their inabilty to get to grips with Gianfranco Zola's movement and technical ability.

The Italian capped a mesmerising performance by scoring twice as well as setting up substitute Carlton Cole.

The pick of Zola's brace was his second - a sublime chip - as the Italian caught Shrewsbury goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin off his line.

Chelsea's goal haul

40 mins: Gianfranco Zola opens the scoring 53 mins: Carlton Cole heads home Zola's cross 75 mins: Zola chips Ian Dunbavin 80 mins: Jody Morris curls the ball past Dunbavin

With 10 minutes to go Chelsea added a fourth through Jody Morris' fine shot.

Zola's first goal owed much to the vision of Emmanuel Petit.

The Frenchman's pass - struck with the outside of his left boot - released Graeme Le Saux, who quickly touched the ball into the path of Zola.

Just as quickly the Italian guided the ball past Dunbavin.

At the interval Cole had replaced the injured Celestine Babayaro and the talented striker quickly made his presence felt.

Zola weaved his way to the byeline and hung up a tantalising cross for Cole to powerfully head home.

Whereas Shrewsbury had unsettled Everton, Chelsea immediately established ascendancy in midfield against the Third Division side.

After just 28 seconds Boudewijn Zenden cut inside and unleashed a fierce shot that had Dunbavin scrambling across his goal.

On 12 minutes Zola scampered down the right and crossed but Graeme Le Saux's shot lacked Zola's accuracy.

Jemson was unable to repeat his Third Round heroics

Le Saux quickly made amends bursting down the left, but Frank Lampard was unable to get sufficient power on his shot as he turned.

That was not the case just before the half-hour when Lampard volleyed powerfully goalward, but his shot was straight at Dunbavin.

The Shrewsbury goalkeeper had an excellent game and twice came off his line to narrow the angle to deny first Zola and then Zenden.

Just past the hour he also pulled off an instinctive save to thwart William Gallas.

Luke Rodgers' pace and bustling style occasionaly threatened for Shrewsbury, but Gallas and John Terry were relatively untroubled throughout.

Carlo Cudicini also needed to move quickly to save a Nigel Jemson free kick but those shots from Zola and Morris only served to emphasise the gulf between the two teams.

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Shrewsbury: Dunbavin, Moss (Drysdale 76), Artell, Wilding, Smith, Jagielka (Lowe 58), Atkins (Murray 57), Jamie Tolley, Woan, Rodgers, Jemson.
Substitutes Not Used: Kendall, Redmile.

Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot, Gallas, Terry, Babayaro (Cole 46), Zenden, Lampard (Morris 56), Petit, Le Saux, Gudjohnsen (Gronkjaer 62), Zola.
Substitutes Not Used: de Goey, Huth.

Booked: Babayaro.

Attendance: 7,950.

Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).