Felipe Scolari was 12-years-old the last time Chelsea lost at Fratton Park and the current side were never in danger of spoiling that record as the opening day score was repeated.

Frank Lampard continued his heavy goal return in this competition with the opening strike from the spot and third, scored early in the second-half. Florent Malouda netted between those strikes and Salomon Kalou completed the party.

There were moments of high quality from the visitors, but the home side were also major contributors to their downfall.

As well as progress in the competition, there were useful minutes of competitive action for some of the lesser-used Chelsea squad members, including Branislav Ivanovic who became the latest in a long line of players to make their debut in the League Cup.

The 24-year-old Serb was asked to play right-back. The central defence was the one that finished the game against Man United but Wayne Bridge came in at left-back.

Juliano Belletti was given another chance to impress as an anchor midfielder with Sunday's scorer Kalou one of the four ahead of him. Drogba shook off more of the rust with a start as the lone striker.

Chelsea, in an all-yellow kit, were quickly on the front foot, Drogba smashing a shot from 20 yards just a yard or two wide of James's right-hand post with a minute on the clock.

The home team responded, Ballack booked for pulling down Hreidarsson and from the free-kick, Lampard blocked importantly from Utaka before Crouch hit the sidenetting.

Kalou, who had an early sniff of the target, had a more clear cut chance after 12 minutes, pulling down Lampard's chip into the box but with his second touch, shooting wide.

After good work by Malouda and Bridge on the left, Drogba jumped menacingly but the chance came to Belletti whose 19^th minute volley swerved away from the target.

Alex was winning out over Crouch in the early aerial exchanges and also defended well on the run against Utaka.

At the other end, Kalou threatened the defence with his own dash into the box but was stopped by a well-timed Johnson tackle and Ballack put a difficult heading chance onto the roof of the net.

Neither side in the first half was looking as slick in moving forward as their managers would have wished, although changed team selections and a busy midfield, where Portsmouth's flat four was mixed in with Chelsea's more fluid five, were reasonable mitigation.

Belhadj had the Pompey fans applauding with a speculative shot over but Cech was unconcerned.

Ahead of the Algerian, Crouch was looking isolated whenever the home side won possession in their own half, usually with everyone else behind the ball.

It would need some well-crafted passing to pick a way through the blue-shirted ranks and that came on 34 minutes with Lampard and Drogba combined to get around the back on the left. Malouda's lay-back was into no-man's land but Ballack nipped in sharply, just ahead of Belhadj whose contact sent the German tumbling.

Penalty said referee Bennett and as on the opening day of the season, Lampard successfully converted, to James's right with the keeper going the other way. Hreidarsson had been booked for contesting the penalty decision.

There were 10 minutes to the break, a spell during which Crouch failed to connect sufficiently with a cross that had cleared Terry and Lampard could have added a second after Drogba had deceived the defence - but the ball ran agonisingly out of reach.

The wait for a second goal was a short one as on the stroke of half-time, Malouda was given too much space and 15-yards out, he hammered Kalou's lay-off from a Bridge throw past a helpless James. The France international's second goal in nine days (pictured above) was an impressive strike.

It took just two minutes of the second half to put the game out of Portsmouth's reach with a goal touched by the bizarre.

There was nothing but good play about the build-up, especially a ball wide by Ballack, but somehow James dropped Kalou's cross onto Lampard, who almost embarrassed, watched it drop a couple of inches over the line.

His low-key celebration left many in the ground unaware that a goal had even been scored in front of the Portsmouth home end. At the other end, the sold-out Chelsea support were soon celebrating again.

Goal number four came on 63 minutes and once again it was down to another howler by the Pompey rearguard. Distin was the culprit, far too flashy in a dangerous area. Kalou didn't hesitate to collect the ball as it bounced of Ivanovic, drilling it in at James's near post.

Glen Johnson became the game's second booking for a foul on Belletti.

Scott Sinclair and Franco Di Santo joined Paulo Ferreira as subs introduced as the game rolled on. Di Santo's appearance was his second for the team. Debutant Ivanovic (pictured above) had done nothing wrong, although it has to be said, under minimal Portsmouth pressure.

The whistle blew to end the FA Cup holders' Carling Cup campaign. As all-Premier League cup-ties go, you'd be hard pushed to find a more one-sided one than this.

Chelsea will discover our fourth round opponents when the draw is made this Saturday lunchtime.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1) Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry (c), Bridge; Belletti; Kalou, Ballack (Ferreira 68), Lampard (Sinclair 73), Malouda; Drogba (Di Santo 79).
Scorers Lampard 35, 47, Malouda 45, Kalou 63.
Booked Ballack 4.

Portsmouth (4-5-1) James; Johnson, Pamarot, Distin (c), Hreidarsson; Utaka, Hughes (Wilson 35), Kaboul, Mvuemba, Belhadj (A Traore 68); Crouch (Kanu 68).
Booked Hreidarsson 34, Hughes 52, Johnson 67,

The game can be seen in full on Chelsea TV tonight (Wednesday) from 10pm. Highlights are on Chelsea Plus.