Cole Double Ends United's Dreams (Sky Sports)
Chelsea 3 Colchester United 1
Chelsea came from a goal down to end brave Colchester's FA Cup dreams as they beat the League One battlers 3-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Two late goals from Joe Cole goal finally saw off Phil Parkinson's side after they threatened a major shock when taking the lead in the first half through Ricardo Carvalho's own goal.
Paulo Ferreira levelled matters before half time with his first goal for Chelsea and the Premiership side finally made their class tell with the winner from Cole 11 minutes from the end, and he added a third in injury time.
Colchester almost made a disastrous start when Aidan Davison mis-kicked a clearance straight to Shaun Wright-Phillips, but he made amends by keeping out the winger's shot.
The League One side showed they were not afraid to attack Chelsea and they caught the Premiership leaders cold on 18 minutes when Greg Halford's long throw sent Richard Garcia clear down the right and his dangerous cross was cleared by Robert Huth.
A minute late Garcia fizzed a long-range shot just over the top of Carlo Cudicini's crossbar.
The visitors were unlucky not to score on 22 minutes when Mark Yeates ghosted in unmarked at the back post to meet Karl Duguid's cross only for his shot to strike against the post.
Colchester broke the deadlock on 28 minutes when Garcia worked a neat one-two with Halford to break down the right and his cross was turned into his own net by the unfortunate Carvalho.
The goal stung Chelsea into action and Davison had to be alert to prevent Ferreira's cross reaching Damien Duff and on 32 minutes Ferreira saw a shot well saved by Davison.
Halford had a sight of goal for Colchester on 34 minutes when the ball dropped invitingly to him inside the box, but he flashed his shot well wide of the target.
Chelsea drew level eight minutes before the break when Carvalho headed Duff's corner goalwards and Ferreira was on hand to poke the ball home from close range
Blues boss Jose Mourinho introduced England duo Frank Lampard and Cole at the start of the second half as he looked for his side to impose themselves on Colchester.
Colchester refused to be fazed and the impressive Garcia snatched a left-footed shot over the top on 54 minutes after being picked out by Yeates.
Chelsea should have gone in front on 57 minutes when Duff skipped past Duguid and stood up a cross for Didier Drogba who headed wide from just six yards out.
A minute later Carvalho was lucky to escape any punishment after appearing to tug back Garcia as he tried to race clear on goal from Chris Iwelumo's flick-on.
Cole almost gave Chelsea the lead on 65 minutes when he ran unchallenged to the edge of the box and curled a shot goalwards which Davison at full stretch tipped round the post.
Chelsea continued to turn up the heat on Colchester and Carvalho had the chance to find the net at the right end when he got on the end of Lampard's corner, but the big defender volleyed his shot wide of the target.
It was one-way traffic now as Chelsea went in search of a second goal and Cole was inches away from finding it with a stunning long-range shot which flew just wide of the far post.
A minute later Wright-Phillips cut the ball back for substitute Hernan Crespo right in front of goal, but Davison produced a superb save to keep out the Argentine's shot.
Chelsea finally made their dominance count on 79 minutes when Davison could only parry Crespo's shot into the path of Cole and the midfielder gleefully slammed the ball into the unguarded net to end Colchester's brave resistance.
Cole wrapped up the game in the dying seconds with a superb curling shot into the top corner to ensure Chelsea of their place in the quarter finals.
| Chelsea | Team Statistics | Colchester United |
| 3 | Goals | 1 |
| 1 | 1st Half Goals | 1 |
| 8 | Shots on Target | 1 |
| 10 | Shots off Target | 7 |
| 8 | Blocked Shots | 2 |
| 13 | Corners | 3 |
| 13 | Fouls | 10 |
| 1 | Offsides | 2 |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 0 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 75.9 | Passing Success | 65.5 |
| 9 | Tackles | 16 |
| 88.9 | Tackles Success | 62.5 |
| 63.5 | Possession | 36.5 |
| 48.8 | Territorial Advantage | 51.2 |
Teams
Chelsea
Cudicini, Huth, Johnson, Ferreira, Carvalho,
Diarra (J. Cole 45), Duff (Crespo 63), Essien, Maniche (Lampard 45),
Wright-Phillips, Drogba
Subs Not Used Pidgeley, C. Cole
Booked Ferreira
Goals Ferreira 37, J. Cole 79 & 90
Colchester United
Davison, Baldwin, Brown, Halford, White, Danns,
Duguid, Watson, Garcia (Williams 81), Iwelumo, Yeates (Chilvers 73)
Subs Not Used Gerken, Elokobi,
Izzet
Booked
Goals Carvalho (og) 28
Attendance 41,810
Referee
D. Gallagher