The Portuguese Neto Scores Hat-Trick as The Blues Deliver Liam The Boss with Happy Return to Hull

Against a backdrop of freezing rain, flurries, and a swirling breeze off the banks of the Humber, combined with a determined Hull City side pushing hard for promotion, this had all the ingredients of a challenging night's work for Chelsea.

"We might have added to our tally but the opposition are a strong team and it was a difficult fixture; I am very pleased with the performance," the manager stated. "This club is very special to me so it was great to get a positive reception from both sets of fans. The application of the lads was excellent."

Liam Rosenior has this city dear to him, considering part of his family are from Hull and his successful spell in charge of the Tigers. This happy association was extended with a magnificent performance from his team, who in the end strolled into the next round of the famous old competition.

Clinical Finishing Seals Comfortable Win

Seventy-two hours after surrendering a 2-0 lead in the league, there was a hint of vulnerability about them going into this intriguing tie. The packed home crowd clearly sensed it too, but Rosenior's men navigated the task perfectly.

The manager made alterations, enacting seven of them to his starting lineup. The match could and maybe ought to have been decided earlier than it eventually was, with both Estêvão Willian and Liam Delap guilty of spurning glorious chances to put Chelsea ahead in the opening period.

However, fortunately for the away team, their Portuguese attacker was in a much more clinical mood. He opened the deadlock with a marvellous distance strike, which proved to be the catalyst for Chelsea to assume control of proceedings. By full time, they had 4 goals, with the forward scoring three of them for a superb three-goal haul.

The Forward's Redemption and Impact

The home side showed plenty of spirit all game, but the clearer opportunities consistently came to the visitors. The winger should have opened the deadlock when he went past goalkeeper Dillon Phillips before inexplicably firing over. Delap then had a comparable nightmare moment in front of goal against his former club.

He blocked a Phillips's clearance which came back from the bar, and Delap started to celebrate believing the ball had gone over the line. It had not, and by the time he understood, Hull's defenders had reacted to clear the threat.

The player had his head in his hands after that miss, but he was hugely instrumental from there on out, providing 3 assists. The opening was for the opening goal as his through ball teed up his teammate to finish from outside the box. Shortly after the second half began, it was 2-0 as the forward's set-piece went straight in under Phillips's legs.

Tie Sealed and Attention Shifts

Soon after the second, the tie was effectively ended as a dazzling dribble from Delap teed up his teammate to slide into an empty net. Neto then finished his hat-trick as the provider once again delivered the crucial pass for the attacker to coolly slot by a stranded goalkeeper.

At that point, the work Hull had done in the opening thirty minutes had long since forgotten. Their focus must now switch back to achieving a promotion to the top division under their manager, who rested a number of first-choice individuals with that aim in mind.

"In my opinion we deserved at least one goal but if we play like this we will be in a very good situation in the Championship," he said. "Keep fighting, maybe in the next games this can be a positive example of how we should play."

There was great endeavour to the final whistle, and they almost got a consolation when a substitute struck a post in injury time. But this was Chelsea’s night, and another positive step forward for their new head coach at a stadium he is familiar with very well.

Cup Omens Are Promising

The result resulted in an ultimately straightforward evening’s performance, and the FA Cup-shaped omens are good from here for Chelsea. They have faced Hull on three other times in this competition in the past ten years and every single time, they have progressed to reach the final. Much remains to be done in that respect, but this was another significant positive for the Chelsea boss.