Sonia Bompastor's side went 1-0 down after 17 minutes with Sara Holmgaard netting straight from a corner, before Catarina Macario levelled things in the 36th minute from the penalty spot.

It was 2-1 to Chelsea by half-time with Mayra Ramirez putting the home side ahead with a stunning lobbed strike over the top of the Everton goalkeeper. Second-half substitute Maika Hamano scored our third to increase our advantage.

The Blues made it four from the spot once more, with substitute Sandy Baltimore placing the ball into the bottom corner from 12 yards out to secure our place in the next round.

Trio of changes made

Bompastor made three changes from her XI who started in our League Cup semi-final win against West Ham United, with Erin Cuthbert, Macario and Lauren James introduced to the starting line-up.

Ashley Lawrence made her 50th appearance for the Blues after making her third consecutive start, while in our opponent's defence, there was a familiar face as Maren Mjelde returned to Kingsmeadow for the first time since leaving Chelsea in the summer.

The first chance of the match fell to the hosts. James whipped in a dangerous-looking ball into the box from range, finding the head of Niamh Charles who saw her effort collected by Everton goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan.

And Brosnan was called into action soon after as she had to make a low diving save to divert James' strike away from danger. Our No.10 was delightfully picked out by Keira Walsh, before unleashing a powerful effort from the left.

Everton looked to hit the Blues on the break after that opportunity, but captain Millie Bright made a well-timed block to deny Toni Payne the chance to carry the ball into the home side's box.

The visitors did soon take the lead through Holmgaard, whose inswinging corner from the left dropped directly into the bottom corner of the net to put Everton 1-0 up.

Similar to her earlier strike, James looked to respond as she sent an effort towards the Everton goal, but it was again collected by an alert Brosnan.

And it was a hat-trick of chances for James. She was found by a perfectly weighted pass from Macario before Brosnan got down to block her strike at her near post. From the same wave of attack, Ramirez then fashioned an opportunity and looked to round the goalkeeper, but she was again there to make the stop.

The Blues were awarded a penalty in the 35th minute when Lawrence was hauled down inside the box by Emma Watson. Macario stepped up for the spot-kick and made no mistake in firing the ball into the bottom corner to level the game.

And we took a 2-1 lead into half-time after Ramirez netted our second goal in injury time. Our forward was picked out by a long ball forward from Cuthbert, holding it up incredibly well before sending a lobbed effort over the top of Brosnan who was rushing out of her goal to close down the danger.

Ahead at the break

After going 2-1 down just before the interval, it was Everton who had the first real opportunity of the second, however, Katja Snoeijs' strike from the edge of the box sailed over the bar and the stands of Kinsgmeadow.

At the other end, Ramirez sought her second of the game, but her effort from inside the area crashed into the side netting, before Charles then fizzed a strike from 20 yards out just wide of the post.

Latching on to a stray ball, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd was gifted an opportunity in the final third. The winger put herself into a good area, chopping the ball onto her left foot but saw her strike blocked by an Everton defender.

It was 3-0 in the 71st minute when James floated a free-kick into the box, with Ramirez heading the first effort of the post, before substitute Hamano, who had only entered the pitch two minutes prior, fired the rebound into the back of the net.

There was almost a fourth and it would have been well deserved for James who burst forward and unleashed a powerful drive that rolled just wide of the post. And moments later, the forward had another good opportunity which again went wide.

Although the Blues had to play the final five minutes of the contest with 10 players after defender Nathalie Bjorn left the pitch carrying an injury and all five substitutes had already been made, we still managed to extend our lead.

In injury time, substitute Aggie Beever-Jones was brought down in the box and Baltimore, who had also come off the bench, slotted the ball into the bottom corner to confirm our place in the quarters as 4-1 winners.

What it means

The win against Everon means we have booked our place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and will discover our opponents following Tuesday evening's draw.

What next

The Blues host Everton at Kingsmeadow once again next Sunday afternoon, with the two sides meeting in the Women's Super League.

The teams

Chelsea: Hampton; Lawrence, Bjorn, Bright, Charles (Baltimore 58), Walsh (Jean-Francois 77), Cuthbert, Rytting Kaneryd (Hamano 69), Macario (Nusken 69), James, Ramirez (Beever-Jones 77)
Unused subs: Liefting, Mpome, Kaptein, Reiten
Scorer: Macario 36, Ramirez 45+2, Hamano 71, Baltimore 90+2

Everton: Brosnan; Holmgaard, Fernandez, Mjelde (H Payne 73), Hope, Gago, Hayashi (Stenevik 73), Ladd, Watson (Lawley 46), Snoeijs (Olesen 82), T Payne (Vanhaevermaet 73)
Unused subs: Ramsey, Sarri, Thomas
Scorer: Holmgaard 17