A David Luiz screamer and a John Terry brace saw Fulham go down to a 3-0 defeat to local rivals Chelsea on Wednesday night.

But the scoreline didn’t tell the whole story. Fulham dominated proceedings in the first half, only for Luiz to thunder home a brilliant long-range effort to put the Blues in front on the half-hour mark.

Terry headed home the second just before the break and, after Mladen Petrić had somehow turned a chance over the bar from a yard out, the Chelsea captain nodded in a second on 71 minutes.

The result was somewhat harsh on Fulham but the Whites must now pick themselves up for a second London derby in quick succession when they host Arsenal on Saturday.

Martin Jol made two changes to the starting XI that drew 1-1 at Aston Villa last weekend. John Arne Riise replaced Kieran Richardson at left-back, while Petrić took the place of former Chelsea man Damien Duff, who picked up an abductor problem at Villa. Steve Sidwell sat out the final match of his three-game ban, while Kerim Frei was on the bench. Frank Lampard made his 600th appearance for Chelsea.

On a blustery old night on the banks of the Thames, Fulham created the first opening of the game – and what a chance it was in the third minute. Some fine passing eventually saw Urby Emanuelson play the ball out to Sascha Riether, with the German’s superb cross turned over the bar from close range by a stretching Bryan Ruiz, who was under pressure from Luiz.

At the other end, a snap-shot from Lampard was saved at the second attempt by Mark Schwarzer after Brede Hangeland had made a hash of an attempted clearance.

In the 18th minute, Branislav Ivanovic was lucky to escape with just a yellow card for what looked like a two-footed lunge on Petrić down by the left-hand corner flag.

The Whites were continuing to dominate the early proceedings and another crisp move eventually fell to Dimitar Berbatov whose shot was deflected wide on 22 minutes, before a dipping 20-yard effort by Giorgos Karagounis flashed inches over the bar.

On 28 minutes, Riise then hit a weak shot straight at Petr Cech from 10 yards after being teed up by Ruiz, who had been found on the left flank by a wonderful crossfield pass by Emanuelson.

Fulham remained on top but two minutes later Chelsea took the lead completely out of the blue. There seemed to be little on when Luiz picked up the ball in the middle of the park but the defender strode forward before hitting a shot from fully 35 yards which flew past a helpless Schwarzer and into the top right-hand corner of the net.

The Whites were almost level in the 35th minute. Emanuelson cut in from the left and let fly, only to see his right-footed effort tipped round the post by Cech. A toe-poke from Berbatov flew three yards the wrong side of the post five minutes later after more free-flowing football by the Whites.

What should have been a routine save for Schwarzer from a Lampard free-kick saw the keeper spill the optimistic shot round the post and, from the resulting corner, Chelsea added a second. The delivery from the right was only cleared as far as Juan Mata and the Spaniard’s cross was inch-perfect for Terry who headed powerfully home.

Fulham were denied a way back into the game just before the break when Ruiz appeared to tumble under a challenge from Terry in the box. With the ground howling for a penalty, referee Mike Dean instead delved into his pocket to show a yellow card to Ruiz for simulation.

Philippe Senderos went into the book in the early stages of the second half for bringing down Victor Moses as the Swiss defender looked to make amends for giving the ball away.

It was nearly 3-0 to Chelsea just before the hour mark. Lampard worked the ball out wide to Fernando Torres but his delivery from the right was inches too far in front of the sliding Mata who had arrived unmarked into the six-yard box.

The Whites were struggling to get a grip on the game and Petrić sliced well wide from distance in the 63rd minute. Jol then made his first change of the game and it was an attacking switch as Hugo Rodallega was introduced for Riise.

Fulham could – and should – have pulled one back in the 69th minute in a moment Petrić will want to forget. Karagounis’ corner was met by Senderos whose header was going in, only for Petrić to turn it over the bar from a yard out as he attempted to help the ball on its way.

And the miss came back to haunt Fulham as Chelsea grabbed a third two minutes later. After Moses’ shot had been brilliantly tipped around the post by Schwarzer, the corner was headed towards goal by Torres and Terry nodded home from close to the line to grab his second of the game.

Jol made his second substitution on 76 minutes as Karagounis came off for Emmanuel Frimpong, with Frei entering the fray soon after in place of Petrić.

With the Whites trailing heavily, though, the changes had little impact and Chelsea saw out the game to make the short journey back to Stamford Bridge with the three points in their pocket.