BLUES PUT ON POWER SHOW; Stars shrug off early shock to cruise on.

Byline: BY Ed Casey 

SOUTHEND 1

CHELSEA 4

CHELSEA charged into round four of the FA Cup last night after they came from behind to beat battling Southend.

Skipper Adam Barrett headed the League One side into a shock first-half lead.

But Michael Ballack fired an equaliser a minute from half-time before Salomon Kalou - in the starting line-up at the expense of unsettled Didier Drogba - put Luis Felipe Scolari's side in front with a well-worked effort on the hour.

Nicolas Anelka wrapped things up late on and Frank Lampard added a fourth in stoppage time.

The fightback eased the pressure on Scolari who had to endure chants of "You're going to get sacked in the morning" after his side fell behind in the first half. He got stuck into his troops at the break and the dressing-down produced the desired result.

The game kicked off 10 minutes late after referee Chris Foy called it off because of fog then reversed his decision when visibility improved.

Drogba - a reported transfer target for Inter Milan - was axed as Anelka and Kalou were named in Chelsea's attack.

Kalou, Ballack and Joe Cole had efforts blocked by keeper Steve Mildenhall as the Blues piled on the pressure but they were shocked in 15 minutes. Junior Stanislas, on loan from West Ham, sent over a corner Chelsea failed to deal with and Barrett arrived at the far post to power a header into the net.

Chelsea burst back on to the offensive and it needed a desperate clearance from former Stamford Bridge trainee Anthony Grant in front of his own goal to prevent a certain equaliser.

Southend almost snatched a second on the break. Foy played advantage after John Obi Mikel had flattened Grant, with the ball played out to Stanislas on the right.

His looping cross floated over to the far post where Alex Revell burst in but keeper Petr Cech kept out his flying header and Franck Moussa blazed the follow-up over.

Just when it seemed Southend would go into the break ahead, Chelsea grabbed an equaliser. A high ball into the penalty area sparked confusion between Barrett and his keeper and the ball dropped to Ballack who crashed a stunning half-volley into the top left corner.

The Premiership outfit finally got themselves in front on the hour. Joe Cole released Kalou on the right and the striker drilled a low shot into the far corner.

And with 13 minutes left Kalou and Lampard created space for Anelka to run into the box and he made no mistake from 12 yards.

After that, there was no way back for Southend, who in the end just had no answer to the superior technical ability of their opponents.

And Lampard rubbed salt into the wounds when Chelsea broke clear to net a fourth in injury time.

CAPTION(S):

SOUTHEND ON GLEE: Adam Barrett, centre, celebrates after firing the home side ahead but their joy was shortlived as Chelsea hit back with a four-goal salvo