Chelsea v Stoke City - as it happened

Match preview from our squad sheets: There may be less sting to Rory Delap's throw-ins when he is parted from the narrow pitch at the Britannia Stadium, but Stoke City do not depend solely on home comforts – Tony Pulis's team are unbeaten in away games since Boxing Day. FA Cup holders Chelsea have lost three of their last five matches and badly need to regain authority in today's tie. Nicolas Anelka's form, in particular, has dipped since Didier Drogba's return from the Africa Cup of Nations meant he had to vacate the centre-forward position. Match pointers • This is the fifth consecutive season that Chelsea have reached the FA Cup sixth round while Stoke are making their first appearance at this stage since 1972. • If Matthew Etherington starts it will be the 300th of his career in all competitions. • Chelsea are unbeaten in 17 consecutive FA Cup home ties dating back to March 2003. • Stoke beat Chelsea in their last domestic cup meeting at Stamford Bridge – 1-0 in the League Cup in 1995. • Chelsea have scored twice in each of their last four games with Stoke in all competitions. Chelsea: Hilario, Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, Paulo Ferreira, Malouda, Mikel, Lampard, Anelka, Drogba, Kalou. Subs: Turnbull, Joe Cole, Deco, Sturridge, Matic, Kakuta, Van Aanholt. Stoke: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Abdoulaye Faye, Huth, Collins, Whitehead, Whelan, Delap, Sanli, Sidibe, Fuller. Subs: Simonsen, Lawrence, Kitson, Pugh, Amdy Faye, Davies, Moult. Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire). Pre-match niceties: There are a few conspicuous absentees as the teams line up in the tunnel at Stamford Bridge. Ryan Shawcross is out, suspended after the awful collision with the unfortunate Aaron Ramsey that earned the Stoke defeneder what I remain convinced was a very unfair red card last weekend. For Chelsea, Juliano Belletti and Michael Ballack are also suspended. Stoke midfielder Matthew Etherington will have to delay his 300th senior start in all competitions after failing a fitness test, while Joe Cole will be frustrated at being forced to kick his heels on the Chelsea bench, what with many people appearing to have written his career obituary earlier in the week. 1 min: Chelsea kick-off, wearing their usual home kit. Stoke's players wear red and white candy-stripes, black shorts and black socks. 2 min: Chelsea win their first corner after a delightful little touch from Drogba to Anelka forces Andy Wilkinson to intervene. From the inswinger, Florent Malouda wins a corner when his attempted cross goes out off Abdoulaye Faye. 3 min: Ricardo Fuller wins the ball on the irght flank and tries to curl a cross towards Sidibe on the left flank. The delivery isn't up to much and Ferreira hoofs clear. 5 min: Stoke attack down the right flank, Paulo Ferreira puts the ball out for a throw-in deep in Chelsea territory. Cue: Rory Delap and his beach towel. 6 min: With Malouda standing right in his face, Delap slingshots the ball across the edge of the six-yard box. Huth gets the near-post flick-on, Hilario comes off his line and flaps and Sidibe heads over the bar. If Chelsea have devised a scheme to deal with Delap's long throws, it wasn't evident there. 8 min: Nicolas Anelka picks up the ball on the right flank, on the edge of the final third. With assorted Stoke defenders back-pedalling, he cuts inside, then further inside ... and unleashes a daisy-cutter. Thomas Sorenson gets down to his left and saves. 9 min: Stoke go close when Mamady Sidibe tries to get on the end of a shanked Ricardo Fuller effort that's heading wide of the left upright. A timely intervention from Alex prevents him from reaching the ball. Corner for Stoke. 11 min: Nothing comes from the corner, what with the referee blowing for an infringement on Frank Lampard as the ball was on its way into the penalty area. That's a waste. 12 min: "Double shift today Barry?" asks the (London) O2 Arena's Alison Jeeves. "That's a bit harsh for a Sunday. Its Dizzee Rascal and Lily Allen here tonight. No sign of any Twitter wars breaking out as yet." Harsh? Six straight hours of typing with no break whatsoever? Don't be soft, Jeeves. 13 min: I've just noticed that the last line of my previous post sounds like the title of a PG Wodehouse novel. 14 min: Compared to the FA Cup match between Reading and Aston Villa, this one is comparatively sedate. I won't say I'm not relieved, because I don't think I could type two games like that in a row. 14 min: Stoke win another throw-in in Delap country. As he doesn't get a towel at away grounds, he dries the ball on his shirt and slings it across the six-yard box. Hilario punches clear, but only as far as Dean Whitehead. He volleys the ball back with interest and - with Hilario beaten - John Obi-Mikel does well to block on the line. That's a let-off for Chelsea. 17 min: Regarding that Shawcross tackle: "I hate to bring this up again, after it has been beat to death for the past week," writes David Konopka and 23,485 others, before bringing it up again and embarking on a bizzarre dissertation about trying to kick a loose ball very hard is apparently a red card offence if you're a centre-half. I honestly didn't even think the "challenge" in question was a foul and I honestly don't think anyone else would have either if Ramsey hadn't suffered such a terrible injury. 21 min: Chelsea are enjoying the lion's share of possession without creating much in the way of scoring chances. It's a scrappy enough affair so far. 22 min: Ricardo Fuller gets penalised for leaping in the air near John Terry. That's a bizarre decision. 24 min: Another Delap long-throw from the left touchline. He rifles it flat and straight towards the near post, but Chelsea clear easily. 25 min: Will the irate, whiney Gooners among my readership please stop mailing me to tell me how terrible Ryan Shawcross's "tackle" on Aaron Ramsay was? Contrary to what you've all been bleating for the past week, I remain convinced that it wasn't a tackle, it wasn't high, it wasn't studs up, there wasn't unneccessary force and there is nothing you can say about it at this late stage to change my mind. Let that be an end to it! Still, if nothing else, it's strange how so many people can watch the exact same incident and draw such different conclusions. 28 min: Corner for Chelsea, which Malouda swings into the far post. Thomas Sorenson stretches for it, doesn't quite catch it and has to scamper after the loose ball on all fours before finally claiming possession. 28 min: Chelsea go forward, launching their sortie down the left flank. The ball finds it's way to Frank Lapard on the edge of the penalty area and his low drive is blocked by Faye. 29 min: Stoke fail to clear properly and Dean Whitehead chests the ball into the path of Nic Anelka. His low diagonal drive fizzes a couple of feet wide of the right post - he should have scored. 30 min: Dider Drogba tries an ambitious shot from about 35 yards, when a through-ball to Malouda, who'd made a clever run down the left flank, would have been the vastly superior option. 32 min: The ball is played down the left channel to Tuncay, whose leaden footed first touch gives Alex the opportunity to make a potentially bone-crunching last-ditch tackle to prevent the Turk from scoring. That was a marvellous tackle by the brave Brazilian. 34 min: A corner from Chelsea, which Malouda sends deep. The ball falls for Drogba, whose goal-bound volley is headed out for another corner by Dean Whitehead. GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Stoke City (Lampard 34) From a Chelsea corner on the left, the ball is put into the penalty area, eventually dinked towards Frank Lampard on the edge of it and he takes advantage of being teed up by John Terry by drilling a shot through a thicket of legs, off a Stoke defender and into the back of the net. Frank Lampard in scoring with yet another a deflected shot sensation. 37 min: Stoke win a corner, which Hilario flaps at. Malouda bales him out by putting the ball out for another corner. Glenn Whelan sends in a curler, which Hilario gives a good fisting. 38 min: Stoke win a throw-in deep in Chelsea territory. Delap slings the ball in towards the goal, but John Terry attacks the delivery and heads it out for a corner. Whelan sends in an outswinger, but the referee blows for an infringement. Free-kick for Chelsea. 40 min: Stoke captain Robert Huth gets a ticking off from the referee for a clumsy challenge on Salomon Kalou. 43 min: Stoke win a free-kick a few yards outside the Chelsea penalty area, right of centre. Glenn Whelan and Tuncay have a lengthy discussion about who should take it. Tuncay wins their game of Rock, Paper, Scissors and shoots high over the bar. That's a woeful effort. 44 min: Glenn Whelan is hobbling gingerly and looks as if he's about to be replaced by Danny Pugh. 44 min: Stoke substitution: Whelan off, Pugh on. 45+1 min: Great play from Drogba and Sorenson. Paulo Ferreira crossed from the left, Drogba beat his man to the ball at the near post, hit it first time and brought a smart reflex save out of the goalkeeper. 45+3 min: Stoke win a throw-in in the final third, which Delap takes. Alex heads clear at the near post. It's half-time. Half-time 46 min: Stoke kick-off, while Chelsea substitute Joe Cole performs some extravagant look-at-me-gaffer warm-up exercises in front of Carlo Ancelotti when the Chelsea manager emerges from the tunnel for the second half. Honestly. 47 min: Andy Wilkinson peels off Paulo Ferreira to ping the ball out to Mamady Sidibe on the right touchline. He attempts to cross, but completely miskicks, sending the ball harmlessly wide. 48 min: Chelsea win a corner as a result of industrious work from Drogba. Lampard sends in a low one from the right, Drogba plays it back to him, but Ricardo Fuller prevents him from sending in the cross. Throw-in for Chelsea, which Branislav Ivanovic Delaps towards the edge of the six-yard box. The ball is only cleared as far as Frank Lampard, who rifles it over the bar. 49 min: Stoke win a free-kick thirty yards from the Chelsea goal, for a foul by Alex on Tuncay. It's a teeny-weeny bit left of centre, but in a great spot. 50 min: Robert Huth, Dean Whitehead and Tuncay bicker over who's going to take the free-kick and the captain pulls rank. Huth's effort is dismal and comes closer to smashing a floodlight than troubling Hilario. 52 min: "Re your photo caption," writes Gary Naylor. "It's clearly an outfield player handling the ball but he's going unpunished. Is it John Terry?" 53 min: Chelsea win a free-kick in line about three yards from the intersection of lines in the penalty area. Despite being so far wide, Drogba has a pop and hits the target. Sorensen saves easily. 55 min: A soft-shoe shuffle from jinkin' Salomon Kalou enables the Ivorian to slalom past two Stoke defenders and into the space between defence and touchline. He tries to pick out Didier Drogba, but is foiled. Stoke clear. 57 min: Chelsea win a throw-in on the edge of the final third. Branislave Ivanovic winds up for a long one, while Didier Drogba and Abdoulaye Faye get to grips with each other in the penalty area. Ivanovic hurls the ball into the Stoke penalty area, and the linesman's flag goes up ... 59 min: ... it's a foul throw. There's a sight you don't see every day. Ivanovic wasn't behind the line when he released the ball. 60 min: The camera just cut to something in the crowd that prompted the ITV commentator to exclaim in disgust, but I missed it. If anyone else saw it, please let me know what it was. Stoke double substitution: DaveKitson for Mamady Sidibe, Liam Lawrence for Tuncay. 62 min: Kitson plays the ball inside the full-back for Danny Pugh to latch on to and cross from the left. Showing admirable endeavour, Kitson is there to challenge for the cross with Alex at the near post. 63 min: Yes, yes ... it's Dave Kitson, not Paul. I've corrected that previous entry now. 64 min: Stoke Throwing Man flings the ball towards the near post, forcing Didier Drogba to put it out for a corner. Liam Lawrence floats the ball to the near corner of the six-yard box, where Robert Huth attempts to head it goalwards. John Terry leaps with him and makes life difficult. 66 min: With his back to goal and a Stoke defender putting him under pressure, Drogba chests down a long ball on the edge of the six-yard box and manages to turn and cross for Anelka. His bullet header looks to be heading goalwards, but Andy Wilkinson blocks heroically. GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Stoke City (Terry 66) Another good block from Wilkinson yields a corner for Chelsea. Lampard swings it in from the left and John Terry peels off his marker and is first to the ball, beating Huth to thump a nigh on unstoppable header past Sorensen. It took a good deflection off Wilkinson on the way, mind. Terry rushes over to the Chelsea supporters behind the goal, pulls up his sleeve and points to his captain's armband. He really doesn't get it, does he? I don't care less where he dips his wick and never have, but the man is a total buffoon without even the merest hint of self-awareness. 70 min: John Terry continues fiddling with his captain's armband in a very ostentatious manner: pulling his sleeve all the way up his shoulder, so everyone can see very clearly that he hasn't been stripped of the Chelsea captaincy. Perhaps it's irritating him. Perhaps it's too tight and a bit itchy, but given his previous in the field of behaving like - let's not beat around the bush - a total dipstick, this seems like a very ill-advised and tremendously unsubtle dig at Fabio Capello. I could well be wrong and he may not be having a pop at the England manager at all, but let's face it, a man capable of sporting a haircut that bad is capable of anything. 75 min: Frank Lampard is given too much room on the edge of the Stoke penalty area and aims a surface-to-air effort for the top right-hand corner. Thomas Sorensen does well to claw it away. 76 min: The camera cuts to the Chelsea dug-out, where Joe Cole is standing as near as is physically possible to Carlo Ancelotti, without actually jumping up and down in front of him shouting "Me gaffer! Me gaffer! Please send me on! Please gaffer! Please!" He's standing just behind Ancelotti, gazing at the back of his coat, pondering the wisdom of giving it an imploring tug. 78 min: A Stoke attack breaks down and Chelsea break with a three-on-two. Kalou and Lampard combine, but the latter's touch lets him down when he looked a certainty to score. Stoke are lucky escape from a situation in which they looked doomed to go 3-0 down. Lampard is disgusted himself and holds his head in his hands. 81 min: Stoke win a throw-in on the edge of the final third. Delap slings it into the mixer, Hilario comes for it, misjudges the flight of the ball completely and flaps hopelessly as he ends up punching air above a scrum of players. Faye ends up getting a free header, which he sends over the bar. 84 min: Down the left flank, Kalou gets put through on goal by a long ball over the top. Sorensen dashes off his line and smothers the shot when a third goal looked a formality. 86 min: John Terry, who has been shouting a lot and pointing effusively at various things since scoring Chelsea's second, gets booked for a blatant and completely unneccessary shirt-tug on Ricardo Fuller. "Regarding whatever it was in the crowd that made the ITV commentator exclaim in disgust (60 min)," writes Ken Danbury. "There is a big blue sign that reads 'John Terry: Hero, Legend'. Pretty puke inducing if you ask me, so that was probably it." 88 min: Hilario makes a save from Fuller, in a last-ditch attempt to prove he's not a completely inept buffoon. Stoke win two corners in quick succession, which Liam Lawrence takes. Huth sends the second delivery wide. 90+1 min: Another Delap long throw, which Lampard eventually hacks clear. The referee ends the game and Chelsea win comfortably to join Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Fulham/Spurs in the semi-final draw.