Adarabioyo Scores Brace as Chelsea Cruise into 4th Round

Defender Tosin Adarabioyo scored twice from outside the box as Chelsea cruised into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a win over League Two strugglers Morecambe at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening.

Morecambe keeper Harry Burgoyne impressed in the first half and saved Christopher Nkunku’s early penalty after visiting captain Yann Songo’o was penalised for a handball.

But Chelsea eventually broke the deadlock in fortunate circumstances as Adarabioyo’s shot from the edge of the box deflected wickedly off midfielder Callum Jones into the net after 39 minutes.

Straight after the restart Nkunku netted the Blues’ second on the rebound after Burgoyne had denied Renato Veiga.

Adarabioyo, who had only scored once for Chelsea before Saturday, netted his second and the hosts’ third in the 70th minute with a wonderful curling effort into the top corner from 25 yards out.

And, as Morecambe faded, Joao Felix added two further late goals, the first a side-footed finish from the edge of the area and the second a fine curling strike from a tight angle, to give Chelsea a resounding win.

“It was the first time in my professional career I was on a hat-trick,” 27-year-old centre-back Adarabioyo told BBC Match of the Day.

After his second, the former Fulham defender was encouraged to shoot every time he got on the ball by the home fans and admitted he secretly wanted to, but was often “too far out”.

Adarabioyo joined Chelsea in the summer, but has struggled to break into the first team and has made just nine league appearances this term.

After the match Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca praised his players for being “very professional and very serious”.