GOALS from John Obi Mikel and Oscar gave Chelsea a 2-0 victory over Derby County in the third round of the FA Cup.
The Rams managed to keep Jose Mourinho's men at bay in the opening 45 minutes at the iPro Stadium.
But Mikel broke the deadlock after the hour and Oscar added a second after 71 minutes to earn the Premier League giants a home tie with Stoke City in the next round.
Derby might have pulled a goal back late on but it was not to be in the end.
The dangerous Oscar went close from distance on more than one occasion in the first half, while Ramires saw his shot deflected on to a post on the stroke of half-time.
Earlier, Samuel Eto'o was sent clear after Mikel dispossessed Michael Keane but Andre Wisdom and Jake Buxton got back to snuff out the danger.
For Derby, John Eustace shot straight at Mark Schwarzer and Simon Dawkins fired over from 25 yards.
Jamie Ward almost got a sight of goal after intercepting a David Luiz pass but his effort was blocked by Gary Cahill.
Ward lifted a free kick over the bar early in the second half, after Will Hughes was fouled by Mikel just outside the box.
Ward's deflected shot then wrong-footed Mark Schwarzer for a moment but the keeper had time to change direction and drop on the ball.
Mourinho brought on Eden Hazard, who was fouled on the Chelsea left by Ward as the Rams' resistance was eventually broken in the 66th minute.
Willian whipped in a vicious free kick and Mikel - making his 300th Chelsea appearance - rose to gleefully head home.
Five minutes later, the visitors doubled their lead through Oscar, whose drive from inside the box found its way past keeper Lee Grant.
Substitute Fernando Torres twice went close to adding a third.
First, he brilliantly turned past Jake Buxton and dribbled around Grant, only for Michael Keane to nick the ball off his toe.
Then, moments later, the Spaniard was denied by Grant, who saved well low to his right.
Ten minutes from time, Ramires' deflected effort from 20 yards clipped the bar.
Derby kept going, though, and with five minutes to go, substitute Conor Sammon played in Chris Martin, whose angled drive was scrambled around the post by Schwarzer.
Soon after, Mason Bennett sent a low shot whistling past the post.
DERBY COUNTY: Grant, Wisdom, Keane, Buxton, Forsyth, Eustace (Bennett, 70), Hughes, Hendrick, Ward (Sammon, 69), Dawkins (Bailey, 83), Martin. Other subs: Legzdins (gk), Freeman, Whitbread, Cisse.
CHELSEA: Schwarzer Azpilicueta, Cahill, Luiz, Cole, Essien (Hazard, 55), Mikel, Ramires, Oscar (Baker, 87), Willian, Eto'o (Torres, 64). Other subs: Cech (gk), Kalas, Terry, Mata.
REFEREE: A Marriner (West Midlands).
ATTENDANCE: 32,110.
