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Amid freezing rain, snow, and a biting wind off the banks of the Humber Estuary, combined with a resolute Hull City side pushing hard for promotion, this presented all the ingredients of a difficult evening’s task for the visitors.

"We could have scored more but the opposition are a good team and it was a tough tie; I am delighted with the display," he said. "This club means a lot to me so it was great to get a positive reception from both sets of supporters. The application of the players was superb."

Liam Chelsea manager holds this place dear to him, considering some of his family hail from Hull and his enjoyable spell in management of the Tigers. This happy connection was extended with a commanding display from his team, who in the end strolled into the next round of the FA Cup.

Deadly Finishing Seals Comprehensive Win

Three days after letting slip a 2-0 lead in the league, there was a hint of fragility about them going into this potentially tricky cup clash. The packed Hull support evidently sensed it too, but Rosenior's men navigated the task with ease.

The manager rang the changes, enacting multiple of them to his starting lineup. The match could and perhaps ought to have been decided long before it eventually was, with both Estêvão Willian and Liam Delap guilty of missing excellent chances to put Chelsea ahead in the first half.

However, luckily for the visitors, Pedro Neto was in a much more ruthless mood. He opened the deadlock with a marvellous long-range effort, which acted as the catalyst for Chelsea to assume control of proceedings. By full time, they had four, with the forward scoring three of them for a superb three-goal haul.

Delap's Response and Influence

Hull displayed great fight all game, but the better opportunities always fell to the visitors. The winger should have broken the scoring when he rounded keeper the Hull stopper before unbelievably shooting over. The striker then had a similar horror moment in front of goal against his former club.

He deflected a the goalkeeper's kick which bounced back from the crossbar, and Delap began to run away believing the ball had gone over the line. It had not, and by the time he understood, Hull's defenders had responded to clear the danger.

Delap had his head in his hands after that moment, but he was immensely instrumental from there on out, registering 3 key passes. The first was for the opening goal as his through ball set up his teammate to finish from range. Shortly after the second half began, it was two as the forward's corner went straight in through Phillips's legs.

Contest Put Beyond Doubt and Focus Shifts

Seven minutes after Neto’s second, the match was put beyond doubt as a dazzling dribble from the forward laid on Estêvão to slide into an empty net. Neto then completed his hat-trick as the provider again played the decisive pass for the striker to coolly convert by a stranded Phillips.

At that point, the effort Hull had done in the first thirty minutes had been forgotten. Their focus must now switch back to achieving a return to the top division under Sergej Jakirovic, who left out several key players with that aim in mind.

"In my opinion we earned at least one goal but if we play like this we will be in a strong position in the league," the Hull manager commented. "Keep fighting, maybe in the next matches this can be a good lesson of how we must play."

Hull showed great endeavour to the end, and they almost claimed a consolation when a substitute struck a post in stoppage time. But this was Chelsea’s night, and another positive step forward for their recently-appointed head coach at a stadium he is familiar with very well.

Cup History Are Promising

That made for an ultimately straightforward evening’s work, and the cup competition omens are good from here for the winners. They have faced Hull on three previous times in this tournament in the past ten years and on each occasion, they have gone on to make the final. There is remains to be work in that respect, but this was another significant tick for the Chelsea boss.