🔗 Share this article

Amid freezing rain, flurries, and a swirling wind from the waters of the Humber, alongside a determined Hull City side pushing hard for promotion, this had all the makings of a difficult night's work for Chelsea.

"We might have added to our tally but Hull are a strong team and it was a difficult tie; I’m delighted with the performance," he said. "This club is very special to me so it was great to get a good welcome from both sets of fans. The application of the lads was superb."

Liam Chelsea manager holds this city close to his heart, given part of his family are from Hull and his enjoyable spell in management of the Championship club. His positive connection continued with a magnificent display from his team, who ultimately strolled into the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Deadly Edge Seals Comprehensive Win

Seventy-two hours removed from surrendering a two-goal lead in the Premier League, there was a hint of vulnerability about them going into this potentially tricky tie. The capacity home crowd evidently sensed it too, but Rosenior's men navigated the task with ease.

Rosenior made alterations, enacting multiple of them to his XI. The tie could and maybe ought to have been settled earlier than it eventually was, with two Estêvão Willian and Liam Delap at fault for spurning excellent chances to put Chelsea in front in the first half.

But, fortunately for the away team, Pedro Neto was in a far more clinical frame of mind. He broke the deadlock with a spectacular distance effort, which proved to be the catalyst for Chelsea to take command of the match. By full time, they had four, with Neto netting three of them for a brilliant hat-trick.

The Forward's Redemption and Impact

Hull displayed great fight all game, but the better chances always fell Chelsea’s way. Estêvão should have opened the deadlock when he went past keeper Dillon Phillips before unbelievably firing over. The striker then had a similar nightmare moment in front of goal against his old team.

He blocked a the goalkeeper's clearance which came back from the crossbar, and Delap started to run away believing the ball had gone over the line. It had not, and by the time he realised, Hull's defenders had reacted to avert the danger.

Delap had his head in his hands after that moment, but he was immensely influential from that point onward, registering 3 key passes. The opening was for the first goal as his through ball teed up Neto to finish from range. Shortly after the restart, it was two as the forward's set-piece went directly in under Phillips's legs.

Tie Sealed and Attention Turns

Soon after the second goal, the match was effectively ended as a dazzling dribble from the forward laid on Estêvão to tap into an empty net. The hat-trick hero then finished his hat-trick as Delap once again played the decisive ball for the striker to coolly slot by a stranded goalkeeper.

By that stage, the work Hull had done in the first half-hour had been forgotten. Their priority must now switch back to securing a return to the Premier League under their manager, who left out a number of key players with that goal in mind.

"I think we earned at least one goal but if we play like this we will be in a strong situation in the league," the Hull manager commented. "Never surrender, maybe in the upcoming matches this can be a positive example of how we must play."

There was great effort to the end, and they nearly got a late goal when Lewis Koumas struck a the upright in stoppage time. But this was the Blues' evening, and another encouraging stride for their recently-appointed manager at a stadium he knows very well.

FA Cup History Look Promising

The result made for an ultimately straightforward night's performance, and the FA Cup-shaped signs are positive from here for the winners. They have faced Hull on three previous times in this competition in the last decade and on each occasion, they have gone on to make the final. Much remains to be work in that respect, but this was another significant tick for Rosenior.