Hull City make Chelsea fight to the finish, but bow out of the FA Cup
Even with the game seemingly dead and buried at 2-0, a deflected Kamil Grosicki free-kick made the Blues sweat, but not lose.
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Hide AdGames between Football League and Premier League teams can be romantic occasions, but they can be really harsh ones too.
There were moments when the Tigers gave a sold-out KCOM Stadium reason to believe, but even in transition and with players rested, Chelsea have a ruthless edge.
It might not have been the Blues' strongest side but they still had a World Cup winner in Pedro, Belgian cup specialist Michy Batshuayi, former Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic and England internationals Ross Barkley, Mason Mount and Callum Hudson-Odoi in their ranks.
After starting the game brightly, Hull quickly found themselves having to hang in, and did well to get to the interval only a goal down. Having done so, they looked well placed for an equaliser only to concede again, to their former loanee Fikayo Tomori.
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Hide AdThe KCOM was extremely pumped-up, none more so than the man on the tannoy who almost screamed himself hoarse even before the game kicked off. They started in that spirit, with Mallik Wilks particularly dangerous on his full debut.
Jarrod Bowen's selection, even with a Championship game at home to Huddersfield Town which coach Grant McCann regards as a far higher priority, was a show of intent, but the winger was off balance and off target with his third-minute shot.
Chelsea did not have an attempt until the sixth, but they made it count.
Kovacic's passing was exquisite, and he set the ball rolling with a lovely ball out to Cesar Azpilicueta, whose cross was beautifully plucked out of the air by Mount. When Mount's shot was blocked, Batshuayi's deflected into the net.
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Hide AdEven with a weakened side, Chelsea oozed Champions League quality. Batshuayi has scored 15 goals in 18 domestic knockout starts, making another three.
From there it threatened to be a landslide.
Batshuayi's next deflected shot only found the side netting, but Long twice had to be quickly off his line to save. He denied Barkley from a Mount pass, then Mount when he was the beneficiary of a pass which sliced the Tigers open. Mount had a shot blocked, and Barkley dragged one wide.
Flustered, when Hull got sight of the ball, they too often gave it straight back.
After about half an hour of manning the barricades, Hull appeared to weather the storm, without completely snuffing out Chelsea's threat.
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Hide AdWhen Bowen twisted past Kovacic in the 37th minute, it initially appeared to twang a muscle in the midfielder, but he completed the game. Bowen's shot was blocked, and he did not get hold of his next effort when Wilks played the ball back to him seconds later.
Tom Eaves's strike on the turn had the sting taken out of it by Azpilicueta, who brought the half to a close with a near-post shot Long had to beat away.
Hull came roaring out for the second half, Herbie Kane curling a free-kick wide. Although a 49th-minute corner came to nothing, the way Hull won the ball back with their pressing spoke of their intent.
Bowen had a shot deflected, and put another over after a piercing run down the middle.
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Hide AdBut Hull did not score and Chelsea did again. Tomori unmarked when Barkley put in the free-kick given when Eric Lichaj clipped Mount.
That seemed like that, but substitute Grosicki, introduced for Wilks on the back of the goal, had other ideas.
His 71st-minute shot was hopeful, and looped 19 yards wide, but his free-kick seven minutes later found the net after a huge deflection off Kovacic.
Josh Magennins, another substitute, had a shot on the turn saved, and Grosicki blazed wide when Bowen picked him out at a tight angle. Ryan Tafazolli's nod-down failed to find an amber-and-black shirt.
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Hide AdMarcos Alonso had a shot deflect over at the other end, but it spoke volumes that in stoppage time Frank Lampard brought defender Tariq Lamptey on for winger Pedro.
Hull had made their opponents fight to the end for a fifth-round place, but ultimately their FA Cup campaign is over.
Hull City: Long; McKenzie, Burke, Tafazolli, Lichaj; Honeyman (Samuelsen 69), Lopes, Kane; Bowen, Eaves (Magennis 69), Wilks (Grosicki 60).
Unused substitutes: Ingram, McLoughlin, Kingsley, Irvine.
Chelsea: Caballero; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Tomori, Alonso; Barkley, Kovacic; Hudson-Odoi (Gilmour 68), Mount (Willian 68), Pedro (Lamptey 90+1); Batshuayi.
Unused substitutes: Christensen, Cumming, Emerson, Maatsen.
Referee: C Pawson (Sheffield).