FA Cup: Neto hat-trick helps Chelsea beat Hull to reach fifth round

A Pedro Neto hat-trick fired Chelsea into the FA Cup fifth round with a comfortable win at Championship Hull City.

Back at a snowy MKM Stadium, Blues boss Liam Rosenior - a former Hull player and manager - had to wait until the 40th minute for his side to make the most of their dominance with the opening goal.

A lovely interchange of passes ended with Neto whipping a left-footed strike from just outside the box into the corner.

The Portugal international then doubled Chelsea's lead five minutes after the break in bizarre circumstances.

Neto's swerving in-swinging corner evaded everyone and nestled into the net after bouncing through Hull keeper Dillon Phillips' legs.

Brazilian teenager Estevao made up for an earlier poor miss by slotting home in the 59th minute following clever hold-up play from Liam Delap, who spent a season on loan with the Tigers when Rosenior was in charge.

Neto sealed his first senior career hat-trick 19 minutes from time with a neat finish into the bottom corner as striker Delap recorded his third assist with a barging run and inviting pass to the winger.

But the Blues, who are fifth in the Premier League, missed a host of chances in the first half.

The first fell to Alejandro Garnacho, who collected a fine pass from Moises Caicedo, but Phillips made a great save to deny him and Neto's follow-up was blocked by John Egan.

Estevao, 18, then controlled Mamadou Sarr's long ball over the top, rounded Phillips but blazed over an open goal.

The busy Phillips almost went from hero to villain when his attempted clearance was closed down by Delap and the ball looped up against the underside of the crossbar and down on to the line.

Delap thought the ball had crossed the line, hesitated and the Hull keeper redeemed himself to make a block when the forward pounced on the rebound.

Just minutes before the end of the first period, a message was shown on the big screen warning against "discriminatory chanting" from inside the stadium, and read out to fans via a tannoy.

Hull, fourth in the Championship and pushing for promotion to the Premier League, almost pulled a goal back at the end but Lewis Koumas' poked effort struck the post.

Eight-time FA Cup winners Chelsea will find out their fifth-round opponents before Macclesfield host Brentford in Monday night's game.