Chris Bevan reporting

Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink swept away Chelseas recent worries with a four-goal haul as Claudio Ranieris side thrashed Coventry 6-1 at Stamford Bridge.

The Dutch striker made it a day to forget for Coventry who were never in the game once they fell behind on 22 minutes.

Coventrys 19-year-old keeper Chris Kirkland had made two spectacular saves to deny Hasselbaink early on but his day was doomed to end in misery.

He made the slightest of contacts to bring down Hasselbaink inside the area and referee Stephen Lodge pointed to the spot before dismissing the distraught Kirkland on only his second League start.

The first task for his replacement, on-loan Alan Miller, was to pick up the ball from the back of the net as the striker picked himself up to convert from the spot.

Coventry boss Gordon Strachan had to sacrifice somebody to bring on debutant Miller, and surprisingly it was the in-form striker John Aloisi that made way.

The chances continued to flow thick and fast for Chelsea, with Hasselbaink curling another shot around Millers post then just failing to reach Tore Andre Flos through-ball with the keeper beaten.

Another goal looked on the cards and three minutes from the break Chelsea bagged the second their dominance merited. Latching on to a long ball from Marcel Desailly, Hasselbaink beat three defenders down the left flank before cutting inside and curling an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

Any hopes of a Coventry fightback were killed off two minutes after the break. Sam Dalla Bona released Gianfraco Zola and his angled shot bobbled over the line via the inside of a post.

Zola was involved in the fourth goal just four minutes later. Miller saved his shot but the loose ball ran to Hasselbaink who tapped in for his first Chelsea hat-trick.

The chances kept coming and before the hour mark Hasselbaink scored again. Mario Melchiot and Flo combined to set him free and he turned Gary Breen before beating Miller.

With Chelsea pouring forward, their new 1.7m signing Slavisa Jokanovic came on for his first appearance since joining from Deportivo La Coruna. And within seconds of his arrival, Flo nodded home Celestine Babayaros cross to inflict more misery on the 10-man visitors.

Coventry had created little at the other end but they did gain some consolation with a solitary reply before the end. Chelsea keeper Ed De Goey obviously had some sympathy for Gordon Strachans side and he gifted possession to Cedric Roussel on the edge of his area, leaving the Belgian striker with a simple tap-in.

Chelsea: de Goey, Babayaro (Bogarde 70), Leboeuf, Desailly, Ferrer (Flo 32), Poyet, Wise, Melchiot, Dalla Bona (Jokanovic 65), Zola, Hasselbaink.
Subs Not Used: Morris, Cudicini.
Goals: Hasselbaink 25 pen, 42, Zola 48, Hasselbaink 52, 58, Flo 68.

Coventry: Kirkland, Edworthy, Williams, Chippo, Hadji, Telfer, Palmer, Eustace (Shaw 45), Aloisi (Miller 23), Breen, Bellamy (Roussel 59).
Subs Not Used: Strachan, Delorge.
Sent Off: Kirkland (22).
Booked: Chippo.
Goals: Roussel 89.

Att: 34,646
Ref: S Lodge (Barnsley).