Chesterfield proved plucky National League opponents and would have the final say, but the result was never in doubt from the moment Timo Werner fired into an empty net with five minutes on the clock.

Callum Hudson-Odoi scored the goal of the game from distance and we were 3-0 up before the midway point of the half, Romelu Lukaku converting 17-year-old debutant Lewis Hall’s centre. It was a Hall shot that resulted in our fourth of the day as half-time approached, Andreas Christensen in the right place at the right time to guide his header in.

The second period was a more disjointed affair, with half the outfield players replaced at various stages. One who wasn’t, Hakim Ziyech, made it 5-0 with a penalty awarded for a foul on Christian Pulisic.

Chesterfield sub Akwasi Asante put his name up in lights when he tapped into an empty net with 10 minutes left after a very good save from our other debutant, Marcus Bettinelli.

It ensured everyone went home with something to celebrate. For the Blues, a 24th FA Cup third round win in a row, and now attention turns to the other domestic cup competition as we travel to Tottenham on Wednesday for the second leg of our Carabao Cup semi-final.

The selection

Thomas Tuchel handed Chelsea debuts to Bettinelli and Hall, who was deployed at left centre-back today. Christensen returned from injury on the right side of the back three.

Saul Niguez anchored a central midfield also containing Mateo Kovacic and a roaming Pulisic. Ziyech and Hudson-Odoi were attack-minded wing-backs, and the selection of Lukaku and Werner in attack highlighted the boss was not taking this one lightly.

The bench included youngsters Xavier Simons, Harvey Vale and Charlie Webster, as well as Lewis Baker, a Chelsea debutant at this stage of the competition in 2014. Vale and Baker would finish the game on the pitch.

Out the blocks fast

As expected, the visitors started full of energy and adrenaline, pumping the ball forward and looking to disrupt our new-look backline. Indeed, not long after Lukaku had shot over from a Ziyech corner, it was a Chesterfield attack in the sixth minute that proved their undoing as we countered with devastating effect.

Kovacic, Chelsea captain for the first time, led the charge, taking his opposite midfielders out of the equation. He slipped in Ziyech whose shot was saved by Scott Loach, but only as far as Werner, who did the rest.

A goal to saviour

We dealt with a couple more Chesterfield forays forward before well and truly seizing control of the tie. Loach denied Ziyech with a strong right hand, but there was nothing the former Watford keeper could do to stop Hudson-Odoi. Using the decoy run of Pulisic to his left, the 21-year-old cut inside and bent a wonderful curling strike into the far corner from outside the box.

It was 3-0 a couple of minutes later. Hall chased a lost cause down the left flank, forcing an error in the Spireites’ backline, and then crossed low to Lukaku, who couldn’t miss. The striker headed straight over to the debutant to thank him for the assist (pictured top).

On the half-hour Lukaku had two near-identical chances in the space of 60 seconds to double his tally, firing wide on his left first from a Ziyech corner and then a Werner cutback, much to the delight of the 6000 visiting supporters behind that Shed End goal.

They saw their Chelsea-supporting midfield Emmanuel Oyeleke chance his arm from 20 yards, the shot always swirling away from Bettinelli’s right-hand post.

Danish delight

But it wasn’t long before we were back on the attack, and back on the scoresheet. This time a corner was worked short, eventually reaching Hall, who got his shot from inside the D on target. It troubled Loach enough for him to parry it, and there was the predatory Christensen to cutely loop his header into the net for his second Chelsea goal – indeed his second in 11 games!

Tuchel brought two fresh faces on for the second half, Kai Havertz and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Lukaku and Kovacic made way. Christensen took the armband.

As in the first half it was the visitors who started on the front foot when play resumed. A long ball over the top had the away fans roaring in anticipation, and Malang Sarr and Bettinelli briefly worried. The young French defender did well to hook a clearance to safety before the dangerous Kabongo Tshimanga could reach it, Hall calmly mopping up.

A fifth different scorer

We were soon on the attack again. Ziyech weaved his way through a cluster of red shirts before drawing a save from Loach. The ball fell to Havertz, who smashed his effort into Gavin Gunning’s face.

We were awarded a penalty in the 54th minute. Pulisic drifted into the box and in trying to stop him, sub Calvin Miller lost his footing and rugby-tackled him to the ground. Ziyech smashed his spot-kick past Loach for his fourth of the season.

A couple more Chelsea subs followed on the hour. Vale replaced Pulisic, and Baker came on for Christensen to make his Stamford Bridge bow. His first Blues appearance eight years earlier was against another Derbyshire side, the Rams of Derby.

Ross Barkley for Hudson-Odoi was our fifth and final change shortly afterwards, and the no18 curled just wide from range with his maiden involvement.

Moment of inSpiration

Fraser Kerr came as close as anyone in red had when he blasted wide from a tight angle after a long free-kick reached him at the far post. Vale then had the ball in the net from a Werner pass, but the German was offside when initially released by Barkley.

Chesterfield’s big moment arrived with 10 minutes remaining. A flick-on from Asante freed Tshimanga, who twisted and turned before getting his shot away. Bettinelli made a very good save with his back leg, but as with two of our goals the ball fell kindly to an attacking player. Sub Asante rolled the ball into the empty net, sparking pandemonium behind the goal, and applause from the rest of the Bridge.

The closing stages consisted mostly of Chelsea attacks that came to nothing, the Blues easing off but nearly netting a sixth with virtually the last kick, Ziyech thwarted by Loach, just as he had been at the start of the game before Werner got us up and running.

The draw for the fourth round is tomorrow, after the West Ham vs Leeds tie.

What’s next?

The Blues head to north London on Wednesday to try and finish the job we started in the first leg of our Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham. Then it’s Man City away in the Premier League a week today.

Chelsea (3-5-2): Bettinelli; Christensen (Baker 59), Sarr, Hall; Ziyech, Pulisic (Vale 58), Saul, Kovacic (c) (Loftus-Cheek h/t), Hudson-Odoi (Barkley 66); Lukaku (Havertz h/t), Werner.Unused subs Arrizabalaga, Simons, Jorginho, Webster.Scorers Werner 6, Hudson-Odoi 18, Lukaku 20, Christensen 39, Ziyech 55 (pen)Booked Saul 8

Chesterfield (4-3-2-1): Loach; Kerr, Gunning (c) (Grimes 60), Croll, Whittle; King (Miller h/t), Oyeleke (Maguire 73), Weston; Kellermann (Asante 66), Khan (Mandeville h/t); Tshimanga.Unused subs Minter, McCourt, Tyson, Payne.Scorer Asante 80Booked King 29

Referee Jarred GillettCrowd 39,795