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Against a backdrop of freezing rain, flurries, and a biting wind from the waters of the Humber, combined with a resolute home side pushing hard for a top-flight place, this had all the ingredients of a challenging evening’s task for Chelsea.

"We could have added to our tally but Hull are a good team and it was a difficult tie; I am delighted with the display," the manager stated. "This club means a lot to me so it was great to get a positive welcome from both sets of supporters. The application of the lads was excellent."

Liam Chelsea manager has this city dear to him, considering part of his relatives hail from Hull and his enjoyable period in management of the Tigers. This positive connection continued with a commanding performance from his team, who in the end sauntered into the next round of the FA Cup.

Clinical Edge Secures Comprehensive Win

Seventy-two hours after letting slip a 2-0 advantage in the Premier League, there was a hint of fragility about them going into this intriguing cup clash. The packed Hull crowd clearly sensed it too, but the London side handled the task with ease.

Rosenior rang the changes, enacting seven of them to his starting lineup. The tie could and maybe ought to have been settled earlier than it eventually was, with both Estêvão Willian and Liam Delap guilty of missing glorious opportunities to put their side in front in the opening period.

However, luckily for the away team, Pedro Neto was in a much more ruthless mood. He broke the scoring with a marvellous long-range strike, which acted as the catalyst for Chelsea to take command of the match. By the final whistle, they had 4 goals, with Neto scoring a trio of them for a superb hat-trick.

Delap's Redemption and Influence

Hull displayed great fight throughout, but the better chances always fell to the visitors. Estêvão should have opened the scoring when he rounded keeper the Hull stopper before unbelievably shooting 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 bounced back from the bar, and Delap started to run away believing the ball had crossed the line. It had not, and by the time he realised, Hull's defenders had responded to avert the threat.

Delap had his head in his hands after that moment, but he was hugely instrumental from there on out, registering three assists. The opening was for the first goal as his through ball set up Neto to finish from range. Shortly after the second half began, it was two as Neto's set-piece went directly in through the keeper's legs.

Contest Put Beyond Doubt and Focus Shifts

Soon after Neto’s second, the tie was effectively ended as a magnificent dribble from Delap teed up his teammate to tap into an unguarded goal. Neto then completed his hat-trick as Delap once again delivered the crucial ball for the striker to coolly slot past a stranded Phillips.

By that stage, the effort Hull had done in the first thirty minutes had been forgotten. Their focus must now return to achieving a return to the Premier League under their manager, who left out several first-choice players with that aim in mind.

"I think we deserved at least one goal but if we play like this we will be in a strong position in the Championship," he said. "Never surrender, maybe in the upcoming games this can be a good example of how we should play."

There was plenty of effort to the end, and they nearly got a consolation when Lewis Koumas struck a the upright in stoppage time. But this was the Blues' night, and another encouraging step forward for their new manager at a place he knows intimately.

FA Cup Omens Look Good

The result resulted in an ultimately routine evening’s performance, and the cup competition omens are good from here for Chelsea. They have played Hull on three other times in this tournament in the last decade and on each occasion, they have gone on to make the final. Much still done in that respect, but this was another huge positive for the Chelsea boss.