Mohamed Diamé’s goal three minutes after the restart was enough to see leaders Hull City to a 1-0 victory over the Blues at Portman Road. Town went closest to scoring before the break when Daryl Murphy hit the post, but having gone in front the Tigers dominated the second half.
Mick McCarthy made three changes with top scorer Brett Pitman coming in up front and Jonathan Douglas and Luke Hyam returning to the central midfield roles in the anticipated 4-4-2 formation.
Douglas was back after a three-match ban and Hyam from a calf injury which had sidelined him for the last two games.
Kevin Bru and Kevin Foley both dropped to the bench, while Ainsley Maitland-Niles wasn’t in the 18.
Hull made nine changes from the team which drew 0-0 at Arsenal in the FA Cup on Saturday with only Curtis Davies and David Meyler keeping their places.
Freddie Sears created the game’s first excitement in the sixth minute when he broke past Andrew Robertson down the Town right but his cross was too deep for strike pair Pitman and Murphy.
There was a scare for the Blues in the 10th minute when Tommy Smith got the ball caught under his feet and lost possession to Abel Hernández not far outside the area on the left.
The New Zealand international hauled the Uruguayan down as he looked to break into the box with only Bartosz Bialkowski to beat and was perhaps fortunate not to see a yellow card.
Robert Snodgrass took the freekick and sent it curling away from Bialkowski to his left, but the on-form Polish keeper got across to superbly tip it past the post.
Hull had most of the ball in the opening 20 minutes but with the freekick their only chance, while the Blues occasionally threatened to create an opening on the break.
On 25 Hernández shot over, then Smith did superbly to block a Diamé effort from the left of the area after he had appeared to have got away from the Town central defender.
A minute later, the Blues claimed a penalty when Pitman looked to be shoved as a Sears cross came over from the left. The ball was bundled out of play and from Pringle’s corner Berra’s header was stabbed behind.
Town were by now in charge and on 27 Murphy saw a shot deflect wide, Hull subsequently making heavy weather of clearing the danger after the resultant corner.
In the 37th minute, the Blues went within a whisker of going in front. Pringle, the man on all Town’s set pieces, whipped in a near post freekick from the left, which skipper Luke Chambers headed against a defender.
The loose ball fell to Murphy, who lashed a shot which struck the inside of the post and flashed across the goalmouth before being cleared.
Five minutes later, another Pringle freekick from the left caused more danger, the ball falling to Chambers a few yards out but the Blues’ captain was unable to get in a clean strike and the ball looped harmlessly to Tigers keeper Allan McGregor.
Town were ended the half on top, Sears making a strong run through the middle before shooting over, then Douglas similarly went high with a strike from distance.
Hull had started the half the stronger side but with Snodgrass’s freekick, which was superbly saved by Bialkowski, their only chance.
Town grew into the game and by half-time were in charge and had created chances, several from Pringle’s excellent set pieces.
The visitors threatened first after the break, Berra blocked a Hernández strike and Bialkowski rather needlessly punched the loose ball away before David Meyler hit a low shot which the Blues keeper claimed more comfortably.
But the Championship leaders didn’t have to wait too long to go in front. Robertson played in Diamé between two Town defenders and the striker dinked it over BIalkowski and into the net.
The Senegalese international almost immediately shot over and then Chambers blocked brilliantly from Meyler as the visitors took control of the game.
On 52, Bialkowski saved superbly from Sam Clucas, then one-time Blues loanee Jack Livermore smashed the rebound against the post.
The Tigers had dominated since the goal, passing the ball around confidently and looking likely to add to their lead, but on 59 Chambers caused McGregor an awkward moment with a cross-shot from the right which the keeper was pleased to see fly just over his bar.
In the 64th minute, with the visitors still on top, Kevin Bru replaced Hyam, who had suffered a knock. Five minutes later, as Hull swapped Hernández for Chuba Akpom, Pringle and Sears switched flanks.
Hull continued to control the game comfortably and might have increased their lead in the 75th minute when Moses Odubajo got behind the Blues’ backline on the right but crossed poorly and Chambers cleared.
Two minutes later, there were calls for a Town penalty when Douglas went to ground as he took a bouncing ball into the area but mainly from the stands and referee Malone quickly waved the claims away.
In the 79th minute Luke Varney took over from Pringle, who was warmly applauded off after an impressive home debut.
Soon after, Davies headed across the face of goal from a Snodgrass freekick when it seemed easier to score. Two minutes later at the other end, Pitman curled a freekick wide.
Town were finally beginning to get more of a foothold in the game and on 85 Murphy headed a Chambers cross from the right well wide. Two minutes later, Smith was booked for puling back Akpom.
As the game moved into three minutes of added on time, Sears forced McGregor to save down to his right after he had chested down and hit a low shot.
And from the corner the Blues almost grabbed an unlikely equaliser, Smith heading over under pressure at the far post. But there were no further chances before referee Malone blew the final whistle.
Having ended the first half the better side, the Blues never got going after the break with Hull scoring their goal only three minutes after the restart.
From there they dominated and looked every bit this season’s Championship title winners in waiting and they might have won more comfortably with Livermore coming close to a second when he hit the post and Davies heading across the face when he should have scored.
Town rarely threatened until the closing stages and will feel they ought to have taken their opportunities during their spell on top before the break when Murphy went closest when he struck an upright.
The result sees the end of the Blues’ 16-game, three-year long Tuesday night home run with the Blues now having lost four of their last five matches in all competitions.
Town, who are down to 10th in the table, now six points off the play-offs, next travel to Huddersfield, who drew 1-1 away against the MK Dons this evening, on Saturday.
Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Douglas, Hyam (Bru 64), Pringle (Varney 79), Sears, Pitman, Murphy. Unused: Gerken, Digby, Foley, Tabb, Touré.
Hull City: McGregor, Odubajo, Dawson (c), Davies, Robertson, Snodgrass, Meyler (Huddlestone 87), Livermore, Clucas, Diamé (Powell 84), Hernández (Akpom 69). Unused: Jakupović, Maguire, Maloney, Elmohamady. Referee: Brendan Malone (Wiltshire). Att: 17,630 (Hull City: 393).