Manager Billy Dearden decided to stick with the side that beat Brentford so impressively on Saturday, meaning the fully fit again Mark Stallard had to settle for a place on the bench.
While Claudio Ranieri named a surprisingly strong team, including Damien Duff, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Juan Veron and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who was captain for the night. Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and Wayne Bridge were also included as substitutes.
Notts, backed by the best (and noisiest) travelling support they've had in years, soon made it clear to their illustrious opponents that they weren't just hear to make up the numbers, with Darren Caskey having a free-kick inside the first minute, but the Chelsea wall did it's job.
Chelsea then had their first chance to score, but Steven Mildenhall saved well from Jesper Gronkjaer's header, after good work down the left by Duff.
Caskey then struck another free-kick just wide, as Notts' fans celebrated them holding Chelsea out for 5 minutes.
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The Magpies then had a 3 minute spell where they had a few chances to, unbelievably, take the lead at Stamford Bridge.
First, a Darren Caskey corner was met by Nicky Fenton who's header was goal bound until Glenn Johnson hooked it off the line.
Notts then had another effort cleared off the line, this time Paul Heffernan pressured Mario Melchiot into a mistake, Ambrosini saved his first effort and his second was cleared off the line, this time by the despairing Melchiot.
The class between the two sides was then clearly evident, as after Notts misssed two good chances, Chelsea finished a chance that I wouldn't even describe as a half chance to take the lead.
With 14 minutes on the clock, Damien, not for the first time got into some space and he teed up Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who from 25 yards out, riffled home a right foot shot into the top corner of the net. Quite Brilliant.
I was then worried that it was going to be a long night, with our best spell over. How wrong I was.
Eidur Gudjohnsen came close to putting Chelsea two ahead with a volley that I would say with some confidence, he struck rather well.
The volley went narrowly wide of the left hand post before Mildenhall could even blink.
Notts weren't out of it though, a Darren Caskey free-kick was well met by Clive Platt, who is getting better with each game, and Chelsea stopper Marcio Ambrosini did extremely well to stop Platt's header finding the corner of the net.
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It was a goal straight from the training ground. Darren Caskey floated the corner in from the right, Clive Platt flicked it on and centre back Tony Barras arrived at the back post to volley the ball into the top corner. Brilliant.
It was Notts' first goal this season from a corner and couldn't have come at a better time, with half an hour gone we were level with Chelsea!!
A quiet 10 minutes followed and apart from some blokes near me annoying the stewards by taking their shirts off, and some wonderful skill by Damien Duff, little happened.
Ten minutes before half-time though and Chelsea were back in front.
Glenn Johnsen and Jesper Gronkjaer worked the ball down the right and Johnsen crossed for Gudjohnsen to hold off Steve Jenkins and head home.
Notts did well to hold out until half time as Chelsea, Duff, Johnsen and Gudjohnsen in particular, were flying.
But they did.
HALF TIME: Chelsea 2-1 Notts County
Chelsea made a change, bringing on Mario Stanic for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
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While Ambrosini flapped at a couple of Caskey delieveries, to hint Notts really should bombard him with crosses, test him out!
Notts then had a decent penalty appeal turned down when Simon Baldry appeared to be clipped as he went past Celestine Babayaro.
A minute later, and Premiership referee Rob Styles proved just why he is so 'popular' with fans as, after turning down a Notts penalty, he awarded the home side one.
Jesper Gronkjaer broke free in the penalty area and Mildenhall was adjudged to have fouled him as he went past the Notts 'keeper.
There were fears Mildenhall was going to be sent off in the biggest game of his life, but Styles deemed a yellow card as a fair punishment.
Eidur Gudjohnsen stepped up to send Mildenhall the wrong way and slot home his 50th goal for Chelsea.
With 64 minutes gone, Dearden decided to make Notts' first change, taking off Heffernan, who battled hard but had little joy, for the ever popular Stallard.
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Chelsea then made their second change bringing on perenial substitute Joe Cole for the now very popular with Notts fans for his over the top reaction, Jesper Gronkjaer.
Notts refused to let Chelsea run away with the game as they contnued to match their illustrious opponents.
Notts then made a substitution with 10 minutes to spare, bringing on Kevin Nicholson for the ever commited Ian Richardson.
Gudjohnsen then came close to a hat-trick but his shot cannoned against the crossbar and out to safety.
Notts then got back into the game again, and the ever reliable Mark Stallard was the man to get it.
Baraclough nicked the ball off the underacheiving Veron (on yesterday's evidence, very overated) and hooked the ball back into the danger-zone, Ambrosini flapped and completely missed it and Stallard bundled the ball over the line.
Paul Bolland was then given the last 5 minutes of the action, replacing Paul Riley, who had again done himself proud against a solid full-back.
Chelsea then finally put the game to bed, Stanic bundled the ball through only for Mildenhall to make one of his best saves to date but Joe Cole was in the right place at the right time and he slotted the ball low to Mildenhall's left for his first goal for Chelsea.
There was still time for Mildenhall to again deny Gudjohnsen of his hat-trick and for Caskey to curl an excellent free-kick narrowly wide.
FULL TIME: Chelsea 4-2 Notts County
A battling display by Notts and if they perform like this every week they will soon climb the Division Two table.
A brilliant night was had by all the 3,000 travelling contingent and they could all feel really proud of their team.
Individual mentions go to Clive Platt (outstanding), Nicky Fenton (his best, and hardest, game for Notts), Darren Caskey (again), but the whole team was fantastic and fully deserved their standing ovation.
Bring on Hartlepool...