Hull City 0 Chelsea 4 (26/9/2007)

MATCH REPORT: HULL CITY 0 CHELSEA 4

First Chelsea goals from Scott Sinclair and Steve Sidwell and the first strikes of the season from Salomon Kalou ensured a safe passage to the next round of the Carling Cup as banana skins were avoided on Humberside.

It was a satisfying opening victory for Avram Grant who did opt to rotate his team for this competition, Sinclair and Carlo Cudicini the most notable additions to the team for the first time this season and with Pizarro and Sidwell also back in the line-up.

Shevchenko was on the bench so Kalou was the other striker in a 4-4-2 shape and among the subs also was the pleasing sight of Wayne Bridge, involved for the first time since his summer hip operation.

The KC Stadium had little to mark it from many of the recently constructed stadia up and down the country but it was a decent arena and a good pitch and Chelsea were soon into gear, forcing three corners in the first two minutes, the second cleared off the line when Kalou shot on target.

Hull then enjoyed a good couple of minutes off their own, registering one corner and only stopped from threatening goal by some good covering by Belletti when Livermore ran from deep.

The rest of the first 20 minutes was without much the warm the crowd on the chilliest night of the season so far, a Wright-Phillips wayward shot and an effort by Kalou that was saved quiet comfortably apart.

Chelsea had a very healthy shout for a penalty turned down when Sinclair collected a pass in the box with face to goal and appeared to be shoved to the ground from behind.

With Sidwell playing the odd clever ball and Wright-Phillips and Kalou taking on opponents in and around the box, Chelsea were on top but were not looking totally watertight at the back.

Pedersen headed a presentable chance wide from six yards out with the half-hour approaching and then there was a scramble on the line after Cudicini spilled the ball under a Pedersen challenge. The referee took his time but eventually whistled up the foul.

Terry was then at his best to intercept a highly dangerous cross and for a while the easy ride into the next round the game became looked a long way off.

On 36 minutes, Chelsea broke out with the move of the game so far, Sidwell storming forward and releasing Belletti who found Wright-Phillips overlapping, the keeper doing well to close and block.

Within seconds however, the Blues did take the lead and what a fine strike and a fine moment it was for Scott Sinclair, sweeping in Wright-Phillips's cross that had threaded a way through a crowd with a sweet connection for his first Chelsea goal.

Chelsea needed to survive one more scare before the break, McPhee on the turn hooking Okocha's pass wide.

Just two minutes into the second-half, the Blues pretty much made the game safe when Kalou scored the second. It was his run and ball wide that took Chelsea into area, Pizarro then teeing it up for the Ivorian to head in from almost under the crossbar. It had been a razor sharp incision into Hull's hopes.

Not everything was going Chelsea's way - an injured Wright-Phillips had to be replaced by Joe Cole before the game could begin again.

With the next attack it became 3-0, Sidwell smacking a 25-yarder that the keeper touched but could not keep out. There were more joyous celebrations for another maiden Chelsea goal.

Hull immediately made a double substitution but with little improvement in their fortune until substitute Garcia broke free down the left and Cudicini saved an angled drive well with his legs. It was the home team's first shot on target.

Chelsea's second switch came on 64 minutes, Bridge back in action, Ashley Cole naturally making way.

Ashbee. the Hull captain, headed a chance over and when his counterpart, Terry headed a corner on target, Livermore nodded off the line.

Jay-Jay Okocha of course was still a threat from set-pieces and he curled a free-kick very close on 71 minutes, the ball landing on the roof of the net.

The fourth goal on 80 minutes was a textbook example of counter-attacking play, Sinclair involved early on, Bridge then joining in to find Joe Cole. Kalou was picked out by the England man and the ball was slammed home from 15 yards.

The recently goal-shy Blues had found no problem finding the net against lower league opposition. Now more of the same in the top flight on Saturday is the order.

The draw for the Carling Cup fourth round is Saturday lunchtime.

Hull City (4-2-3-1): Myhill; Ricketts, Turner, Brown, Delaney (Dawson 52); Ashbee (c), Livermore; Pedersen (Featherstone 72), Okocha, Elliott (Garcia 52); McPhee.
Booked Ashbee 75.

Chelsea (4-4-2): Cudicini; Belletti, Ben-Haim, Terry (c), A Cole (Bridge 64); Wright-Phillips (J Cole 48), Essien (Makelele 72), Sidwell, Sinclair; Kalou, Pizarro.
Scorers Sinclair 36, Kalou 47, 80, Sidwell 51.