The irresistible away form continues as the team clicked back into top gear again, goals from Frank Lampard, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda taking the Blues clear of Hull.

This was the signal that Felipe Scolari's words after the last game had been heeded as the visitors passed Hull off their own park, aided in scoring by some slack defending. The home fans were left with booing Ashley Cole's every touch as their major entertainment on a chilly evening.

Winter had suddenly arrived on the east coast of England but Felipe Scolari was warmed by the return of another member of his squad from injury, Joe Cole going straight back in on the right of midfield in place of Salomon Kalou.

That change apart, it was the side that started the defeat to Liverpool.

If confidence had been dented by that disappointing Sunday, Chelsea didn't show it, Lampard putting the team ahead in just two minutes with the game's first attack. And it was no run-of-the-mill goal either!

The Blues had initially attacked down the left through Ashley Cole and after Malouda had foraged in the area, McShane's hurried clearance went straight to the feet of Lamps.

On the left of the area from a position where normal players would have been looking to cross, he simply flighted the perfect lofted ball over a bewildered Myhill and into the far side of the net. Our vice-captain's year of the chip goes on.

The KC Stadium fell silent apart from the blue end behind the Hull goal. This London opposition was a different kettle of fish! At the opposite end, the home side began their attempted comeback with a corner, Turner climbing above (and on) Terry to head onto the roof of the net.

On 11 minutes, Joe Cole was booked for a late challenge on Hull left-back Dawson on halfway before making a more positive contribution three minutes later, shooting at Myhill from the edge of the area after Anelka's initial effort had been blocked.

A minute later Lampard sent an ambitious 35-yard free kick just a few yards wide with the keeper scrabbling across his area.

The chances continued to be all Chelsea's, Malouda getting his bearings horribly wrong with a header after Cole and Bosingwa had manufactured a cross.

At this point the game had early signs of a repeat of the massacring of Middlesbrough but midway through the half, Hull showed they had more about them than Southgate's side that day. First the swift-footed Daniel Cousins weaved his way inside of Carvalho and Mikel and with a low shot, beat Cech but not the keeper's left-hand post. The ball rebounded safely.

Then there was the first real contribution from Geovanni, the Brazilian skimming a 35-yard free kick across the turf which Cech opted to push away as it skipped up awkwardly.

Chelsea began to take control again, forcing Hull on the retreat with some exemplary passing into space. Joe Cole was a whisker away from threading the ball through to Anelka and then Malouda crashed a snapshot over.

On 39 minutes, Anelka snatched possession deep in the Chelsea half and the Blues broke with speed but paid the penalty for not working the ball into the box quickly enough where four bodies were waiting. Malouda, when a half-chance did open up, shot wide.

Ashley Cole, enjoying an influential game going forward, and there was plenty of that, crossed to Joe Cole who turned the ball wide to Anelka, Myhill doing very well to tip the shot over. Malouda was the beneficiary of the corner that followed, but in space, his touch was loose and now under pressure, he shot wide.

Cech saved another Geovanni free-kick on the verge of half-time and also dealt with an on-target header from Marlon King.

Chelsea had been very good value for 1-0 half-time lead although Hull's moments had been good enough to warn that a second goal may well be needed.

Just as at Middlesbrough, it took just a few minutes for the insurance to be secured. As a long ball bounced just outside the home penalty area, apart from two centre backs and the keeper, Hull had no-one nearby to deal with it. Anelka wasn't in the mood to ignore such hesitancy, nicking the ball from in front of Myhill and twisting to smash home for his sixth of the season.

Belletti was brought on eight minutes into the half for Joe Cole who walked down the tunnel.

A third goal could have come on 55 minutes but Malouda was again too high with his shot after great play from Deco, Lampard and Anelka.

Deco was the game's second booking for a challenge on the unusually quiet Boateng and then after a lull in proceedings, Anelka really should have had his second after Lampard had superbly juggled the ball into his path. The Frenchman's effort was more pass than shot and was saved.

That was on 72 minutes and the third goal did finally come just two minutes later, Malouda making up for his previous misses by turning in a cross from inside the six-yard box, Carvalho earning an assist with a superb outside-of-the-boot ball after combining with Cole.

Substitute Kalou came closest to adding a fourth, his shot blocked by a defender while at the other end, Ian Ashbee, left unmarked came just a foot away from heading a corner in for a Hull consolation.

Towards the end, there was a dampener on the party, Carvalho leaving the pitch clutching the back of his thigh, the Blues playing out the final four minutes with 10 men. It wasn't enough to prevent plenty of smiles at the final whistle.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Bosingwa (Ivanovic 85), Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole; Mikel; J Cole (Belletti 53), Deco (Kalou 77), Lampard, Malouda; Anelka.
Scorers Lampard 2, Anelka 49, Malouda 74,
Booked J Cole 14, Deco 55.

Hull (4-4-2): Myhill; McShane, Turner, Zayatte, Dawson; Marney (Garcia 71), Ashbee (c), Boateng (Halmosi 62), Geovanni; King (Windass 83), Cousin.

The irresistible away form continues as the team clicked back into top gear again, goals from Frank Lampard, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda taking the Blues clear of Hull.

This was the signal that Felipe Scolari's words after the last game had been heeded as the visitors passed Hull off their own park, aided in scoring by some slack defending. The home fans were left with booing Ashley Cole's every touch as their major entertainment on a chilly evening.

Winter had suddenly arrived on the east coast of England but Felipe Scolari was warmed by the return of another member of his squad from injury, Joe Cole going straight back in on the right of midfield in place of Salomon Kalou.

That change apart, it was the side that started the defeat to Liverpool.

If confidence had been dented by that disappointing Sunday, Chelsea didn't show it, Lampard putting the team ahead in just two minutes with the game's first attack. And it was no run-of-the-mill goal either!

The Blues had initially attacked down the left through Ashley Cole and after Malouda had foraged in the area, McShane's hurried clearance went straight to the feet of Lamps.

On the left of the area from a position where normal players would have been looking to cross, he simply flighted the perfect lofted ball over a bewildered Myhill and into the far side of the net. Our vice-captain's year of the chip goes on.

The KC Stadium fell silent apart from the blue end behind the Hull goal. This London opposition was a different kettle of fish! At the opposite end, the home side began their attempted comeback with a corner, Turner climbing above (and on) Terry to head onto the roof of the net.

On 11 minutes, Joe Cole was booked for a late challenge on Hull left-back Dawson on halfway before making a more positive contribution three minutes later, shooting at Myhill from the edge of the area after Anelka's initial effort had been blocked.

A minute later Lampard sent an ambitious 35-yard free kick just a few yards wide with the keeper scrabbling across his area.

The chances continued to be all Chelsea's, Malouda getting his bearings horribly wrong with a header after Cole and Bosingwa had manufactured a cross.

At this point the game had early signs of a repeat of the massacring of Middlesbrough but midway through the half, Hull showed they had more about them than Southgate's side that day. First the swift-footed Daniel Cousins weaved his way inside of Carvalho and Mikel and with a low shot, beat Cech but not the keeper's left-hand post. The ball rebounded safely.

Then there was the first real contribution from Geovanni, the Brazilian skimming a 35-yard free kick across the turf which Cech opted to push away as it skipped up awkwardly.

Chelsea began to take control again, forcing Hull on the retreat with some exemplary passing into space. Joe Cole was a whisker away from threading the ball through to Anelka and then Malouda crashed a snapshot over.

On 39 minutes, Anelka snatched possession deep in the Chelsea half and the Blues broke with speed but paid the penalty for not working the ball into the box quickly enough where four bodies were waiting. Malouda, when a half-chance did open up, shot wide.

Ashley Cole, enjoying an influential game going forward, and there was plenty of that, crossed to Joe Cole who turned the ball wide to Anelka, Myhill doing very well to tip the shot over. Malouda was the beneficiary of the corner that followed, but in space, his touch was loose and now under pressure, he shot wide.

Cech saved another Geovanni free-kick on the verge of half-time and also dealt with an on-target header from Marlon King.

Chelsea had been very good value for 1-0 half-time lead although Hull's moments had been good enough to warn that a second goal may well be needed.

Just as at Middlesbrough, it took just a few minutes for the insurance to be secured. As a long ball bounced just outside the home penalty area, apart from two centre backs and the keeper, Hull had no-one nearby to deal with it. Anelka wasn't in the mood to ignore such hesitancy, nicking the ball from in front of Myhill and twisting to smash home for his sixth of the season.

Belletti was brought on eight minutes into the half for Joe Cole who walked down the tunnel.

A third goal could have come on 55 minutes but Malouda was again too high with his shot after great play from Deco, Lampard and Anelka.

Deco was the game's second booking for a challenge on the unusually quiet Boateng and then after a lull in proceedings, Anelka really should have had his second after Lampard had superbly juggled the ball into his path. The Frenchman's effort was more pass than shot and was saved.

That was on 72 minutes and the third goal did finally come just two minutes later, Malouda making up for his previous misses by turning in a cross from inside the six-yard box, Carvalho earning an assist with a superb outside-of-the-boot ball after combining with Cole.

Substitute Kalou came closest to adding a fourth, his shot blocked by a defender while at the other end, Ian Ashbee, left unmarked came just a foot away from heading a corner in for a Hull consolation.

Towards the end, there was a dampener on the party, Carvalho leaving the pitch clutching the back of his thigh, the Blues playing out the final four minutes with 10 men. It wasn't enough to prevent plenty of smiles at the final whistle.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Bosingwa (Ivanovic 85), Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole; Mikel; J Cole (Belletti 53), Deco (Kalou 77), Lampard, Malouda; Anelka.
Scorers Lampard 2, Anelka 49, Malouda 74,
Booked J Cole 14, Deco 55.

Hull (4-4-2): Myhill; McShane, Turner, Zayatte, Dawson; Marney (Garcia 71), Ashbee (c), Boateng (Halmosi 62), Geovanni; King (Windass 83), Cousin.