Aston Villa striker Stan Collymore celebrated his return to the starting line-up with a two-goal blast to ensure a comfortable FA Cup third victory against the Third Division's basement club.

Hull, rated 5000-1 to win the competition, held out until first-half injury-time against the Premiership leaders.

But then Collymore, brought in to replace groin injury victim Dion Dublin, broke the deadlock and after that it was a case of a damage limitation exercise for player-manager Warren Joyce's Hull.

Collymore added his second and also set up the other goal for the livewire Julian Joachim who was a menace with his pace every time he ventured forward.

With the trickery of Lee Hendrie in midfield and Steve Watson and Riccardo Scimeca combining well on the right, Villa predictably had too much ammunition and class for their lower graded opponents.

But Hull deserve credit for never throwing in the towel in front of their 7,000 travelling fans despite being decimated by a lengthy injury list .

And they will need that fight if they are to avoid dropping into the Football Conference.

Hull defender Gregor Rioch was booked after only seven seconds for a touchline challenge on Watson.

And the warning signs were there for the visitors when Hendrie flashed a low 20-yard effort wide after a neat one-two with Joachim.

But the expected goal rush never materialised in the opening 45 minutes and Villa, for all their territorial dominance, failed to trouble Steve Wilson in the Hull goal until Collymore struck.

Hull, six points adrift at the bottom of the Third Division, were not overawed by the occasion and Villa defender Ugo Ehiogu twice had to make vital interceptions at the expense of corners.

Then in first-half injury-time Villa finally went ahead courtesy of Collymore's sixth goal of the season.

Watson's ball into the danger area was turned on by Hendrie and Collymore had time to chest the ball down before drilling past the exposed Wilson.

Six minutes into the second half the tie was effectively over as Collymore turned provider.

His perfect chip picked out the unmarked Joachim who directed his header wide of Wilson.

But Hull could have halved the deficit within two minutes and Villa keeper Michael Oakes produced a splendid reflex save to keep out Craig Faulconbridge's close-range header.

That was the last throw of the dice for the visitors and Joachim and Ehiogu wasted golden chances before Collymore grabbed his second goal and Villa's third.

Joachim broke down the right before producing an inch-perfect pass across the area for Collymore who had all the time in the world to shoot past Wilson into the corner of the net.

The game then lost much of its impetus although Wilson did well to deny Scimeca after he had burst clear.

Teams:

Aston Villa: Oakes, Wright, Southgate, Ehiogu, Watson (Charles 70), Draper (Grayson 59), Collymore, Joachim, Barry, Hendrie (Lescott 76), Scimeca.

Subs Not Used: Vassell, Rachel.

Goals: Collymore 45, Joachim 51, Collymore 67.

Hull: Wilson, Greaves (Peacock 55), Rioch, Whittle, Hocking, Edwards, Joyce (Hawes 86), D'Auria, Brown (McGinty 55), Faulconbridge, Morley.

Subs Not Used: Ellington, Bolder.

Booked: Rioch, Brown.

Att: 39,217

Ref: S Mathieson (Stockport).