Pedro Neto Scores Treble as Chelsea Deliver Manager Rosenior with Joyous Return to Hull City

Against a backdrop of sleet, snow, and a swirling wind off the waters of the Humber, alongside a resolute Hull City side fighting for a top-flight place, this had all the makings of a challenging night's task for the visitors.

"We might have scored more but the opposition are a strong team and it was a tough fixture; I am very pleased with the performance," he said. "Hull City is very special to me so it was nice to get a good reception from the fans of supporters. The attitude of the players was excellent."

The Chelsea manager holds this place close to his heart, considering part of his relatives hail from Hull and his enjoyable spell in charge of the Championship club. His happy association was extended with a magnificent performance from his team, who in the end strolled into the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Clinical Edge Secures Comfortable Victory

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 tie. The packed Hull crowd evidently sensed it too, but the London side navigated the challenge perfectly.

Rosenior made alterations, making multiple of them to his starting lineup. The tie could and perhaps should have been settled long before it actually was, with two Estêvão Willian and Liam Delap at fault for missing glorious chances to put their side in front in the first half.

However, luckily for the away team, Pedro Neto was in a much more clinical frame of mind. He opened the deadlock with a marvellous distance strike, which acted as the catalyst for Chelsea to take command of the match. By full time, they had 4 goals, with Neto netting three of them for a superb three-goal haul.

Delap's Redemption and Influence

Hull showed great spirit throughout, but the better opportunities always came to the visitors. The winger should have opened the scoring when he went past keeper the Hull stopper before unbelievably shooting over. The striker then had a comparable horror moment in front of goal against his former club.

He deflected a Phillips's clearance which bounced back from the crossbar, and he began to celebrate believing the ball had gone over the line. It hadn’t, and by the time he understood, Hull's defenders had responded to clear the threat.

The player had his head in his hands after that moment, but he was hugely influential from there on out, providing three assists. The first was for the opening goal as his through ball set up his teammate to finish from range. Six minutes after the restart, it was two as Neto's corner went straight in under Phillips's legs.

Contest Put Beyond Doubt and Focus Turns

Soon after the second, the match was put beyond doubt as a dazzling run from Delap teed up Estêvão to slide into an empty net. The hat-trick hero then completed his hat-trick as the provider once again delivered the crucial pass for the striker to calmly convert by a stranded goalkeeper.

By that stage, the effort Hull had put in in the opening half-hour had been forgotten. Their priority must now return to securing a return to the top division under their manager, who left out a number of first-choice individuals with that aim in mind.

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

There was great effort to the final whistle, and they nearly claimed a consolation when a substitute hit a the upright in injury time. But this was the Blues' night, and another encouraging stride for their new manager at a stadium he knows very well.

FA Cup Omens Look Promising

The result made for an ultimately straightforward evening’s work, and the FA Cup-shaped signs are positive from here for Chelsea. They have faced Hull on three previous times in this tournament in the last decade and every single time, they have progressed to make the showpiece. There is remains to be work in that regard, but this was another significant positive for the Chelsea boss.