However, Hull pulled one back through Ahmed Elmohamady on 27 minutes before Abel Hernandez capitalised on a mistake by Thibaut Courtois just 74 seconds later to make it 2-2.

Both sides toiled in the second half, but it was Chelsea who secured the spoils with just 12 minutes left thanks to substitute Loic Remy.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the action between the two teams at the KC Stadium.

Match statistics

HULL CITY
Shots: 19
On target: 8
Possession: 42%
Corners: 6
Fouls: 14

CHELSEA
Shots: 8
On target: 3
Possession: 58%
Corners: 6
Fouls: 11

Was the result fair?

Chelsea were far from convincing throughout the game, but their hunger brought them a deserved three points in the end. Hull can be proud of pushing the title favourites all the way, though they just fell short when it mattered.

Hull City's performance

The Tigers looked shell-shocked early on as Chelsea scored twice inside the opening 10 minutes. However, they rallied really well after that, making life extremely difficult for the visitors. Steve Bruce's side hustled with energy in defence and midfield, going toe to toe with Chelsea's more physical players. They were rewarded with two quick-fire goals to draw level at the break, but it was evident in the second half that they were struggling to maintain that level. They took their foot off the gas ever so slightly, but that was enough for the away side to take control of the game and get a winner. There is no doubting that Hull are in a relegation fight, though they will be expected to stay in the top flight due to their quality in key areas.

Chelsea's performance

Jose Mourinho's side were devastating during the opening stages as they scored twice to take a firm hold of the match. It was a different story after that though as Hull dug their heels in and made the champions-elect work very hard for the points. This was often an ugly display by Chelsea, who had nearly all of their players make multiple mistakes throughout the contest. With a lack of coherence, discipline and organisation, it looked as if they were going to stumble again in their bid for the title, but an improvement as the second half went on eventually saw them over the line. While this could have been a lot worse, Chelsea will be thrilled to have come away with a victory.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Eden Hazard: Chelsea's brightest player on the day, the Belgian gave Hull a constant problem in the final third. His pace and movement were often a joy to behold, while his goal to put the visitors 1-0 up was an impressive strike that gave Allan McGregor no chance at all. He is going to play a huge part for the Blues during the final stretch of the season.

Biggest gaffe

Courtois will be relieved to have seen his side come away with the points after gifting Hull their equaliser in the first half. The goalkeeper's attempt to control a back-pass was disastrous, allowing Hernandez to slot in from close range.

Referee performance

Credit must go to Michael Oliver for letting the game flow and remain physical at the same time. There were some crunching tackles being put in by both teams, but the official showed good leniency for most of the match.

What next?

Hull City: The Tigers return to Premier League action on April 4 when they travel to Swansea City.

Chelsea: Mourinho's men continue their quest for the Premier League title on April 4 against Stoke City at Stamford Bridge.