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Amid freezing rain, flurries, and a biting breeze from the banks of the Humber, combined with a determined Hull City side fighting for promotion, this presented all the makings of a challenging night's task for Chelsea.

"We could have scored more but Hull are a good team and it was a tough tie; I am delighted with the performance," the manager stated. "This club means a lot to me so it was nice to get a good reception from both sets of supporters. The application of the players was excellent."

The Rosenior holds this place close to his heart, considering part of his family are from Hull and his successful spell in management of the Championship club. His happy connection was extended with a commanding performance from his team, who in the end sauntered into the next round of the FA Cup.

Deadly Edge Seals Comfortable Victory

Seventy-two hours after surrendering a 2-0 lead in the Premier League, there was a hint of vulnerability about Chelsea going into this potentially tricky cup clash. The capacity Hull support evidently felt it too, but Rosenior's men navigated the challenge perfectly.

Rosenior rang the changes, making multiple of them to his starting lineup. The match might and perhaps should have been decided long before it eventually was, with two Estêvão Willian and Liam Delap guilty of spurning glorious opportunities to put Chelsea in front in the opening period.

But, fortunately for the visitors, Pedro Neto was in a far more clinical mood. He broke the scoring with a marvellous distance strike, which acted as the catalyst for his team to take command of proceedings. By the final whistle, they had 4 goals, with the forward scoring a trio of them for a superb hat-trick.

Delap's Redemption and Influence

The home side displayed plenty of fight all game, but the better chances always came Chelsea’s way. Estêvão should have opened the deadlock when he went past keeper the Hull stopper before inexplicably firing over. Delap then had a comparable horror moment in front of goal against his former club.

He blocked a Phillips's kick which came back from the bar, and he started to celebrate thinking the ball had gone over the line. It hadn’t, and by the time he realised, Hull's backline had reacted to avert the danger.

Delap had his head in his hands after that moment, but he was hugely instrumental from that point onward, registering three key passes. The opening was for the first goal as his through ball teed up Neto to finish from outside the box. 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 Turns

Seven minutes after Neto’s second, the tie was effectively ended as a dazzling dribble from the forward teed up Estêvão to tap into an empty net. Neto then finished his treble as Delap once again played the decisive ball for the attacker to coolly slot past a stranded goalkeeper.

At that point, the work Hull had put in in the opening thirty minutes had long since erased. Their priority must now return to achieving a return to the top division under Sergej Jakirovic, who rested a number of key individuals with that goal in mind.

"In my opinion we earned at least one goal but if we play like this we will be in a very good position in the league," the Hull manager commented. "Never surrender, maybe in the next matches this can be a positive example of how we should 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 Chelsea’s night, and another encouraging stride for their new head coach at a place he is familiar with very well.

FA Cup Omens Look Promising

That resulted in an ultimately routine night's work, and the FA Cup-shaped signs are good from here for the winners. They have played Hull on three previous occasions in this competition in the past ten years and on each occasion, they have gone on to reach the showpiece. There is still work in that regard, but this was another significant tick for Rosenior.