To clarify the facts: The incident occurred in the 21st minute at the MKM Stadium. Hull goalkeeper Dillon Phillips mishit a clearance, the ball deflected off Delap, looped up, struck the underside of the crossbar, and bounced down onto the goal line. Delap raised his arms in premature celebration, assuming it had crossed fully — but goal-line technology (which is used in the FA Cup from the later stages or select ties, though reports confirm it was checked here) and multiple TV replays showed the ball had not completely crossed the line. A tiny margin — described as “two inches, if that” by Delap himself post-match — kept it out. No goal was awarded, and the on-field decision stood correctly.
Importantly, the FA Cup fourth round typically does not feature full VAR intervention like in the Premier League (VAR is limited or absent in early rounds unless specified for broadcast ties). Commentators and reports emphasized goal-line technology confirmed it wasn’t over, so there was no “blatant robbery” or ignored evidence — it was a legitimate fine-margin call. Delap later admitted: “I swear, I almost ran off, I thought it went in… It was silly from me, but I thought it went in.” He then missed the rebound anyway, with Alan Shearer on BBC commentary exclaiming “Goodness me” and “What on earth is he doing?!” at the lack of urgency to tap it in.
As for John Terry blasting the referee: There are no verified reports or quotes from the Chelsea legend specifically criticizing the officiating in this match or calling the non-goal “obvious.” Terry has been vocal on other Chelsea games recently (e.g., slamming performances or reacting to other incidents), but searches across major outlets show no direct comments from him on this Delap moment or the referee (Farai Hallam). Claims of him “blasting” officials here appear to stem from fan speculation or misattributed outrage rather than actual statements. If new comments emerge, they’d likely surface quickly given his profile.
Chelsea fans’ frustration is understandable — the Blues created a barrage of chances early (including Estevao blazing over an open goal), and that early “goal” could have settled nerves. But the 4-0 result, powered by Pedro Neto’s hat-trick (including a direct corner) and assists from Delap (who redeemed himself with a hat-trick of assists for Neto’s brace and Estevao’s strike), made the controversy academic. Chelsea dominated, proving their quality regardless.
This ties into broader gripes about officiating and fine margins, but here the evidence points to a correct no-goal call, not conspiracy. Football’s cruel edges strike again — one inch the other way, and Delap’s drought ends dramatically. Instead, he turned provider in style.
Looking ahead: The FA Cup fifth-round draw takes place on Monday, February 16, 2026 (live on TNT Sports, around 6:45-7 PM GMT). Chelsea (ball 7) are in the pot with 15 other winners (some replays pending, like Macclesfield vs Brentford). Potential glamour ties loom against big names like Liverpool/Brighton, Arsenal/Wigan, or others. Fifth-round ties are scheduled for the weekend of March 7-8, 2026.
The Blues march on, controversy or not — but expect more memes of Delap’s celebration for years to come.
