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Amid sleet, flurries, and a swirling breeze from the banks of the Humber Estuary, combined with a resolute home side fighting for a top-flight place, this had all the makings of a challenging evening’s task for the visitors.

"We could have added to our tally but Hull are a good team and it was a difficult tie; I am delighted with the performance," the manager stated. "This club is very special to me so it was great to get a good reception from both sets of supporters. The attitude of the players was excellent."

The Chelsea manager holds this city close to his heart, given some of his family hail from Hull and his successful period in charge of the Tigers. This happy connection continued with a commanding display from his team, who in the end sauntered into the next round of the famous old competition.

Deadly Finishing Seals Comfortable Victory

Three days after surrendering a 2-0 advantage in the league, there was a hint of vulnerability about Chelsea going into this potentially tricky cup clash. The packed home support clearly sensed it too, but Rosenior's men navigated the task perfectly.

The manager made alterations, making seven of them to his XI. The match might and maybe ought to have been settled earlier than it eventually was, with two the Brazilian winger and the forward guilty of spurning glorious opportunities to put Chelsea in front in the opening period.

But, luckily for the visitors, their Portuguese attacker was in a far more ruthless frame of mind. He opened the deadlock with a marvellous distance effort, which acted as the catalyst for his team to assume command of the match. By full time, they had 4 goals, with Neto netting a trio of them for a superb hat-trick.

The Forward's Redemption and Impact

The home side displayed great fight throughout, but the clearer opportunities always came to the visitors. Estêvão should have opened the deadlock when he rounded goalkeeper Dillon Phillips before unbelievably firing over. Delap then had a similar horror incident in front of goal against his former club.

He blocked a Phillips's clearance which bounced back from the crossbar, and Delap started to celebrate thinking the ball had crossed the line. It hadn’t, and by the time he realised, Hull's backline had reacted to avert the threat.

Delap had his head in his hands after that miss, but he was hugely instrumental from there on out, registering three assists. The first was for the first goal as his through ball set up his teammate to finish from range. Six minutes after the restart, it was two as the forward's set-piece went directly in under Phillips's legs.

Tie Sealed and Attention Shifts

Seven minutes after the second, the tie was effectively ended as a magnificent run from Delap laid on Estêvão to slide into an empty net. Neto then finished his treble as Delap again played the decisive ball for the striker to calmly convert past a helpless goalkeeper.

By that stage, the effort Hull had done in the opening thirty minutes had been erased. Their priority must now return to securing a return to the top division under their manager, who rested a number of key individuals with that goal in mind.

"I think we deserved at least one goal but if we play like this we will be in a very good position in the Championship," he said. "Keep fighting, maybe in the next matches this can be a positive example of how we must play."

There was plenty of effort to the end, and they almost got a consolation when a substitute hit a post in stoppage time. But this was the Blues' night, and another positive stride for their recently-appointed head coach at a place he is familiar with very well.

FA Cup Omens Look Good

The result resulted in an ultimately routine night's work, and the cup competition omens are positive from here for the winners. They have faced Hull on three previous times in this tournament in the past ten years and every single time, they have gone on to make the showpiece. There is still done in that regard, but this was another significant positive for Rosenior.